Alexandre Ramagem, the director of Brazil's intelligence agency ABIN, arrives at Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, December 16, 2020 [File: Eraldo Peres/AP Photo]By Al Jazeera Staff, News Agencies and ReutersPublished On 13 Apr 202613 Apr 2026
Brazilian media have reported that the country’s former intelligence chief, Alexandre Ramagem, has been detained by immigration authorities in the United States, where he had fled after being convicted in connection with a coup plot on behalf of former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro.
CNN Brazil reported that Ramagem was arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Monday, citing Brazilian Federal Police and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. The Brazilian outlet Globo reported that the arrest took place in Florida.
The Brazilian government has sought the extradition of Ramagem, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison for his involvement in efforts to keep Bolsonaro in power after he lost the country’s 2022 election to leftist challenger Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Reports state that Ramagem fled Brazil in September, illegally crossing the border into Guyana before taking a plane to the US.
Globo reported that the Brazilian embassy in Washington, DC filed documentation with the US Department of State seeking his extradition on December 30, 2025.
Paulo Figueiredo, a political ally of Bolsonaro who lives in the US, said the detention was not related to Brazil’s extradition request.
“Ramagem was not arrested, but detained following a police approach in Orlando, initially for a minor traffic infraction and, subsequently, referred to ICE – a common procedure in Florida,” Figueiredo said in a social media post.
He added that Ramagem has a pending asylum application and is optimistic that he will be released “as soon as possible” rather than deported.
Al Jazeera is not able to verify the reason for Ramagem’s arrest by US authorities.
Bolsonaro himself is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence after being convicted in September.
His trial was depicted by Bolsonaro’s allies as a political witch hunt, and sparked the ire of US President Donald Trump, who placed large tariffs on Brazil and called for the trial to be thrown out. Trump later relaxed some of those tariffs following improved relations with President Lula.
