Brazil's former spy chief released from ICE detention

Alexandre Ramagem, Brazil’s former spy chief and a close ally of jailed ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, has been released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Orlando, Florida. Ramagem was detained earlier this week after fleeing to the United States in September 2025 to avoid serving a 16-year prison sentence in Brazil. He was convicted for his involvement in an attempted military coup aimed at keeping Bolsonaro in power following the 2022 election. His name has since been removed from ICE’s custody list, though the agency has not provided details on the reasons for his release. Ramagem led Brazil’s intelligence agency (Abin) and was one of seven co-conspirators sentenced alongside Bolsonaro for the coup plot. He is also under investigation for allegedly using his intelligence position to illegally spy on Bolsonaro’s critics, allegations he denies. Brazil’s Supreme Court requested his extradition in December, and Brazilian authorities have declared him a fugitive. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has emphasized that Ramagem must return to Brazil to serve his sentence, underscoring the government’s stance on upholding judicial rulings related to the coup attempt. The release has drawn reactions from Bolsonaro’s circle, with his son Eduardo Bolsonaro, who resides in the U.S., expressing gratitude toward former U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their handling of Ramagem’s case. Eduardo Bolsonaro described Ramagem as a “true national hero” and supported his reported request for asylum in the United States. Trump has previously voiced support for Bolsonaro, criticizing the coup trial as a “witch hunt” and calling Bolsonaro’s sentence “very surprising.” Ramagem’s release adds complexity to ongoing diplomatic tensions between Brazil and the U.S. over extradition and political asylum issues. It also highlights the broader political fallout from the 2022 election and the subsequent coup attempt, which continue to reverberate through Brazil’s political and judicial systems.