Alexandre Ramagem, Brazil's Former Spy Chief, Freed from ICE Custody

Alexandre Ramagem, Brazil's fugitive former spy chief, has been released from custody by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

ICE confirmed his detention earlier in the week but did not provide details regarding the reasons for it. Ramagem's name has since been removed from the agency's custody lists, indicating his release.

Ramagem had been sentenced to 16 years in Brazil for his role in an attempted military coup, aiming to retain former President Jair Bolsonaro in power after losing the 2022 elections. He fled to the U.S. in September 2025 to avoid the Brazilian authorities.

Following his release, Eduardo Bolsonaro, the son of the former president residing in the U.S., announced that Ramagem was out and home. He expressed gratitude towards U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their support, celebrating Ramagem as a national hero facing persecution.

Recent reports indicated that Ramagem was released on Wednesday, though ICE has not commented further on the situation following his detention in Orlando, Florida.

Brazilian authorities consider Ramagem a fugitive, and the country's Supreme Court has previously requested his extradition from the U.S. Expanding on the legal issues surrounding Ramagem, he is under investigation for allegedly using his position at Brazil's intelligence agency (Abin) to surveil Bolsonaro's critics, claims he has denied.

President Lula of Brazil stated prior to Ramagem's release that he should return to Brazil to serve his sentence. Meanwhile, Trump's past remarks about Bolsonaro have highlighted the ongoing political tensions surrounding the events leading to Ramagem's conviction and subsequent flight.