Brazil’s former intelligence chief and ex-lawmaker, Alexandre Ramagem, who is currently a fugitive, has been taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Ramagem, who was convicted in Brazil and faces a 16-year prison sentence over his alleged role in a coup plot involving far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro, had recently been residing in Florida while in exile.
Brazil’s federal police alluded to his arrest in a statement released on Monday, noting that a Brazilian fugitive convicted by the country’s Supreme Court had been “arrested” in Florida.
The statement said the development resulted from “international police cooperation between Brazil and the United States in the fight against organized crime.”
However, when contacted by CNN, authorities did not confirm whether an extradition request had been formally submitted.
ICE’s website confirmed that Ramagem was “in ICE custody,” though it did not provide additional details about the circumstances of his detention.
Bolsonaro ally and journalist Paulo Figueiredo disputed claims of coordinated action between Brazilian and US authorities, saying Ramagem was picked up following a traffic stop before being handed over to ICE.
He also stated that Ramagem holds legal status in the United States and has an asylum application currently under review. Figueiredo further told CNN that Immigrex, a firm where he is a partner, is handling Ramagem’s legal representation.
Ramagem, who previously headed the Brazilian Intelligence Agency during Bolsonaro’s presidency, had attended a security forum hosted at a Trump-owned golf resort in Miami last month.
CNN has contacted the US Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, and the Brazilian presidency for clarification on the case.
His detention comes shortly after Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced a new cooperation agreement with US authorities aimed at strengthening efforts to combat organized crime.
