Former Brazilian Spy Chief Alexandre Ramagem Released from ICE Detention

Thu Apr 16 2026 12:54:31 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Alexandre Ramagem, a key figure in a military coup attempt in Brazil, has been released from ICE detention. He fled to the U.S. to evade a 16-year prison sentence in Brazil.

Alexandre Ramagem, who once led Brazil's intelligence agency and is implicated in an attempted coup, has been released from detention by U.S. immigration authorities. With a conviction in Brazil and calls for his extradition, he remains a controversial figure linked to former President Jair Bolsonaro.

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 provided a reason for his detention. The 53-year-old's name no longer appears on the agency's list of those in custody, as per confirmations from BBC News Brasil.

Ramagem is wanted in Brazil, where he has been sentenced to 16 years in prison due to his involvement in an attempted military coup to keep former President Jair Bolsonaro in power after his 2022 election loss.

He fled to the US in September 2025 ahead of his expected imprisonment by Brazilian authorities.

Bolsonaro's son Eduardo, residing in the US, stated on Thursday that Ramagem was out and home. Ramagem expressed gratitude towards US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their assistance, labeling him a national hero and emphasizing that he does not yield to persecution.

In light of Ramagem's application for sanctuary in the US, Bolsonaro asserted that he deserves asylum in the land of liberty.

Reports confirm that he was released on Wednesday, though ICE has not commented on the circumstances surrounding his release following his detention in Orlando, Florida.

A key ally and one of seven conspirators convicted alongside Bolsonaro in the coup attempt, Ramagem is also under investigation for allegedly misusing his position at Abin to spy on critics of Bolsonaro—a claim he refutes.

Brazilian judicial authorities have classified him as a fugitive, and in December, the country's supreme court requested his extradition from the US.

Before Ramagem's release, President Lula emphasized that he must return to Brazil to serve his sentence. Trump has previously labeled the coup trial as a witch hunt and voiced surprise at Bolsonaro's lengthy sentence.