Brazil's former spy chief released from ICE detention

Alexandre Ramagem, Brazil’s former spy chief and a close ally of ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, has been released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after being detained in Orlando, Florida. Ramagem, 53, fled to the United States in September 2025 to avoid serving a 16-year prison sentence in Brazil for his involvement in an attempted military coup aimed at keeping Bolsonaro in power following the 2022 election. His name no longer appears on ICE’s custody list, though the agency has not publicly explained the reasons for his release. Ramagem was one of seven co-conspirators convicted alongside Bolsonaro for the coup plot, which sought to overturn Brazil’s democratic election results. He also faces allegations of illegally spying on Bolsonaro’s critics during his tenure as head of Brazil’s intelligence agency (Abin), charges he denies. The Brazilian Supreme Court has formally requested his extradition, and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has emphasized that Ramagem must return to Brazil to serve his sentence. Despite this, Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo, who resides in the U.S., praised Ramagem on social media, thanking former U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their support and suggesting Ramagem deserves asylum in the United States. The case highlights ongoing tensions between Brazil’s current government and Bolsonaro’s supporters, as well as the complex international legal and diplomatic challenges surrounding extradition and political asylum. Trump has previously expressed support for Bolsonaro, criticizing the coup trial as a “witch hunt” and describing the former president’s lengthy prison sentence as “very surprising.” Ramagem’s release from ICE custody adds a new dimension to this high-profile saga, raising questions about the future of his legal status and the broader implications for Brazil-U.S. relations amid political polarization.