Alexandre Ramagem, former director of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency and former legislator, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the state of Florida and remains in immigration custody, according to official records of the agency.

ICE is holding him “in custody,” without offering details about the circumstances of the arrest, the exact location of detention, and any potential charges have not been disclosed. Reports indicate that the procedure occurred after a traffic stop, before his transfer to immigration facilities.

The accusations in Brazil

Ramagem faces a 16-year prison sentence in Brazil, handed down by the Supreme Court in a case related to an alleged coup attempt linked to former President Jair Bolsonaro. The sentence accuses him of using the state intelligence apparatus to conduct illegal surveillance against opponents.

Use of espionage tools

Judicial investigations in Brazil establish that, during his political tenure as head of intelligence, Ramagem allegedly used espionage tools to track Supreme Court justices, legislators, journalists, and other public officials. The case also included investigations related to the circle of former President Bolsonaro. The former official left Brazil before sentencing and has remained in the United States for the past few months, residing in the state of Florida. Brazil requested his extradition in December, although no official progress in the process has been reported. The Brazilian Federal Police indicated in a statement that the arrest of a Brazilian fugitive convicted by the Supreme Court occurred in Florida as a result of international cooperation between Brazil and the United States in the fight against organized crime. However, other reports suggest that the arrest initially occurred for a traffic violation before his referral to ICE. To date, US authorities have not publicly confirmed the details of the operation or the status of the extradition process.

Ramagem, who headed the Brazilian Intelligence Agency during the Bolsonaro administration, reportedly participated recently in public events in the United States,including a security forum held at a golf resort in Miami.

The case unfolds amid recent cooperation agreements between Brazil and the United States on security and combating organized crime, following announcements by both governments regarding the strengthening of bilateral collaboration.