Alexandre Ramagem, Brazil’s former intelligence agency chief and convicted participant in a 2023 coup attempt, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after fleeing Brazil to avoid imprisonment, officials confirmed on April 14, 2026.
Ramagem, who formerly led Brazil’s main intelligence agency ABIN under ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, was sentenced in September 2025 to 16 years in prison for his involvement in the attempted overthrow of Brazil’s government. Brazil’s federal police publicly announced the arrest without naming Ramagem but confirmed the detainee was wanted for armed criminal association, attempted coup d’état, and efforts to violently abolish the rule of law.
A Brazilian senator, Jorge Seif, said Ramagem was in ICE custody and is seeking political asylum in the United States. Seif described Ramagem as a politically persecuted figure and informed the U.S. embassy in Brasília to advocate for his release from detention. Ramagem’s place of detention in the U.S. has not been disclosed.
Local Brazilian media reported Ramagem entered the United States using a diplomatic passport after crossing the border from Guyana, reportedly bypassing normal immigration controls. Brazil formally requested his extradition in December 2025.
International police cooperation and ongoing investigations
The arrest was the product of international collaboration between Brazil’s federal police and U.S. law enforcement agencies. ICE and Ramagem’s legal representatives declined to comment on the arrest.
Ramagem also faces separate investigations for alleged illegal surveillance activities purportedly conducted on behalf of Bolsonaro and his inner circle, using Israeli surveillance technology. Brazilian federal police have recommended charges against Ramagem and approximately 30 others, including Bolsonaro’s son Carlos.
Following his conviction, Ramagem lost his congressional seat in December 2025 and was stripped of political office. Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year sentence related to the same coup conspiracy, though he remains under house arrest for medical reasons.
Why it matters
Ramagem’s arrest illustrates the international ramifications of Brazil’s internal political crisis and the reach of cross-border law enforcement cooperation. The move underscores Brazil’s efforts to hold alleged participants in the 2023 coup attempt accountable, including high-profile figures who have fled the country.
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