Who owns and currently operates the Buga Sphere venue?
Executive summary
Public reporting ties ownership and operation of the Buga Sphere exhibit to private promoters in the UFO community — notably Jaime Maussan’s Mexico City presentation and affiliated organizers — rather than a Colombian government entity; the sphere was displayed at Maussan Television headquarters during a June 20, 2025 press event attended by ufologists, a U.S. congressman and other invitees [1][2]. Local accounts and later opinion pieces say a “world‑renowned attorney” established protections around ownership, but available sources do not name a legal owner with incontrovertible title or a formal custodial institution [3][1].
1. Who brought the sphere into public view — a media‑led unveiling
The strongest documentary trail in current reporting shows the Buga Sphere was publicly displayed at a high‑profile press conference organized by Jaime Maussan at his Mexico City headquarters on June 20, 2025; that event is the focal point for the artifact’s public custody and media circulation [1][2]. News and law‑firm commentary say Maussan invited journalists, researchers and a U.S. congressman to inspect the object, which places Maussan and his network at the center of who is operating the public exhibit [1][2].
2. Claims of legal protections and an attorney, but no named owner in reporting
Multiple pieces — including an opinion column that followed the unfolding story — report that “a world‑renowned attorney has established protections of ownership” for the sphere, implying legal arrangements to control access or transfer [3]. Those reports do not, however, publish a named deed holder or present court filings; available sources do not identify a specific person or institutional owner with documentary proof [3][1].
3. Chain of custody as reported: from Colombia to Mexico City via private handlers
Reports consistently place the sphere’s discovery near Buga, Colombia, on or about March 2, 2025, after which the object was taken into private custody for analysis and display — ultimately appearing in Mexico City for the Maussan conference [1][4]. This pattern indicates private handlers and promoters moved and currently control the artifact’s public access, not a national research institute or government agency, according to available accounts [1][2].
4. Competing narratives and potential motives among key players
Coverage comes from a mix of mainstream outlets, UFO advocates, opinion writers and niche blogs. Promoters such as Maussan and allied ufologists frame the sphere as a genuine unexplained object worthy of scientific attention [1][2]. Skeptics and mainstream scientists quoted elsewhere call for caution and note ordinary explanations, with some scientists suggesting the object looks like an art project or possible hoax [4][5]. These competing perspectives signal both scientific skepticism and promotional incentives — publicity and funding — among organizers [4][1].
5. What is not established in current reporting
No source in the provided set produces a recorded bill of sale, custody chain stamped by an official registry, or court record proving legal ownership transfer to a named entity; available sources do not mention clear institutional stewardship [3][1]. There is also no published forensic consensus resolving whether the sphere is extraterrestrial, human‑made, or a hoax; reporting documents claims, X‑ray descriptions and contested test results but no definitive institutional conclusion [6][5].
6. Practical implications for someone seeking the owner or operator
If you need a legal name or custodial contact, current reporting points to Maussan’s organization as the locus of public display and operations around the sphere as of the June 20, 2025 event, and it cites private legal arrangements reportedly protecting ownership [1][3]. For authoritative title or custodial records, available sources do not list a registry or formal custodial institution; pursuing court records, customs/logistics documents, or direct inquiries to Maussan’s operation would be the next verifiable steps [1][3].
Limitations: this summary uses only the provided reporting; sources include promotional accounts, opinion pieces and mainstream articles that report disagreements among scientists and promoters [3][4][6]. Where documents or named legal owners are absent in those sources, I have stated that the sources do not mention them [3][1].