In brief
Alexandre Ramagem, Brazil's former intelligence chief, has been released from detention by ICE in the US. He was sentenced to 16 years for his involvement in an attempted military coup to retain former President Jair Bolsonaro in power. Ramagem fled to the US in 2025 and is sought by Brazilian authorities. His release adds tension to the extradition requests issued by Brazil's government.
Brazil's fugitive former spy chief Alexandre Ramagem has been released from custody by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE). ICE confirmed it had detained Ramagem on Monday, but has not disclosed details surrounding his detention. The 53-year-old's name no longer appears on the agency's list of those in custody, as reported by BBC News Brasil.Ramagem is a wanted figure in Brazil, where he has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for his role in an attempted military coup aimed at keeping former President Jair Bolsonaro in power after he lost the 2022 election. Following his escape to the US in September 2025, Brazilian authorities have expressed a keen interest in his extradition.Eduardo Bolsonaro, the son of the former president, stated that Ramagem was 'out and home' and thanked US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their support in Ramagem's situation. He described the ex-spy chief as a 'true national hero' who deserves 'asylum in the land of liberty'.Ramagem's release was reportedly on Wednesday, although ICE has not provided any comments on his discharge from detention, which took place in Orlando, Florida. He stands accused of being involved in efforts to illegally spy on critics of Bolsonaro while leading Brazil's intelligence agency, Abin.Brazilian judicial authorities have labeled him a fugitive, and in December, the country's Supreme Court had sought his extradition from the US. In response to the developments, Brazil's current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva asserted that Ramagem must 'return to Brazil to serve his sentence'. Previous remarks from Donald Trump indicated support for Bolsonaro, calling his trial a 'witch hunt'.
