Brazil's fugitive former spy chief Alexandre Ramagem has been released from custody by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE). ICE confirmed it had detained Ramagem on Monday but has not stated the reasons for his detention. The 53-year-old's name is no longer present on the agency's custody list, as verified by BBC News Brasil.
Ramagem is sought in Brazil after being sentenced to 16 years in prison due to his involvement in an attempted military coup aimed at keeping former President Jair Bolsonaro in power after his election loss in 2022. Having led Brazil's intelligence agency (Abin), Ramagem fled to the U.S. in September 2025 prior to facing imprisonment. Bolsonaro's son, Eduardo, announced on social media that the former intelligence chief was 'out and home,' expressing gratitude towards U.S. officials for their support of Ramagem, whom he referred to as a 'national hero' facing persecution.
Bolsonaro also mentioned Ramagem's alleged request for asylum, stating he deserved refuge in 'the land of liberty.' Brazilian media reported his release on Wednesday, although ICE has yet to comment on the circumstances.
A close associate of Bolsonaro, the 53-year-old was one of seven co-conspirators convicted in relation to the coup plot. Further allegations against him include the misuse of his position to illegally surveil critics, which he has denied. Brazilian authorities have recognized him as a fugitive, and in December, the country's Supreme Court requested his extradition from the US.
Before Ramagem's release, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated that he should return to Brazil to serve his sentence, while U.S. President Trump previously labeled the coup trial a 'witch hunt.'
Ramagem is sought in Brazil after being sentenced to 16 years in prison due to his involvement in an attempted military coup aimed at keeping former President Jair Bolsonaro in power after his election loss in 2022. Having led Brazil's intelligence agency (Abin), Ramagem fled to the U.S. in September 2025 prior to facing imprisonment. Bolsonaro's son, Eduardo, announced on social media that the former intelligence chief was 'out and home,' expressing gratitude towards U.S. officials for their support of Ramagem, whom he referred to as a 'national hero' facing persecution.
Bolsonaro also mentioned Ramagem's alleged request for asylum, stating he deserved refuge in 'the land of liberty.' Brazilian media reported his release on Wednesday, although ICE has yet to comment on the circumstances.
A close associate of Bolsonaro, the 53-year-old was one of seven co-conspirators convicted in relation to the coup plot. Further allegations against him include the misuse of his position to illegally surveil critics, which he has denied. Brazilian authorities have recognized him as a fugitive, and in December, the country's Supreme Court requested his extradition from the US.
Before Ramagem's release, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated that he should return to Brazil to serve his sentence, while U.S. President Trump previously labeled the coup trial a 'witch hunt.'
