Former intelligence chief arrested in the US by ICE officers

Former Brazilian intelligence chief Alexandre Ramagem was arrested in the United States by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers; he was taken to a detention center, Brazilian media reported on Monday.

Ramagem's arrest, which took place in Orlando, Florida, was confirmed to Brazilian media by the local federal police and the Ministry of Justice.

However, it is unclear what led to the arrest. Federal Police Director General Andrei Rodrigues told GloboNews that this was the result of international cooperation between Brazil and the United States in the fight against organized crime. – Ramagem is considered a wanted person by the Brazilian justice system and, according to the American authorities, he is in the country illegally – he explained.

But Paulo Figueiredo, a US-based Brazilian journalist and supporter of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, wrote on the X platform that Ramagem's detention was unrelated to the Brazilian authorities' request for his extradition. The former intelligence chief was allegedly arrested for a relatively minor traffic offense and later turned over to ICE officers.

Ramagem was Director General of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN) from 2019 to 2022i.e. during Bolsonaro's presidency, and later – from 2022 to 2025 – he sat in parliament. He lost his parliamentary seat when, in September 2025, he was sentenced to over 16 years in prison for his role in the failed coup that Bolsonaro attempted after his defeat in the 2022 presidential elections.

However, before the verdict became final, Ramagem, despite being banned from leaving the country, escaped from Brazil. First, he crossed the border with Guyana illegally, and from there he flew to the USA.

Bolsonaro, who was also convicted of an attempted coup, was a close ally of US President Donald Trump as president. (PAP)

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