Brazil’s former spy chief released from ICE detention

Alexandre Ramagem, the ex-head of Brazil’s intelligence agency (Abin), has been freed by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after weeks in custody. The agency confirmed his detention but provided no details on the reason. His name has been removed from ICE’s list of detained individuals, as reported by BBC News Brasil.

Ramagem, 53, was sentenced to 16 years in Brazil for participating in an attempt to stage a military coup following his loss in the 2022 election. He fled to the United States in September 2025 to evade arrest. Eduardo Bolsonaro, the former president’s son, announced his release on Thursday, stating Ramagem was “out and home.”

“The sensitivity with which they dealt with this true national hero, who does not give up even when he is being persecuted,” said Eduardo Bolsonaro in a social media post, praising US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The ex-spy chief is believed to have sought asylum in the US, a move Bolsonaro described as deserved in a statement. Brazilian media noted he was let go on Wednesday, though ICE has not commented on the circumstances of his release in Orlando, Florida.

Ramagem was one of seven co-conspirators convicted with former President Jair Bolsonaro for the coup plot. He is also under scrutiny for allegedly spying on Bolsonaro’s critics while serving in Abin, a charge he denies. Brazilian courts declared him a fugitive in December and requested his extradition from the US.

President Lula, who is currently in office, urged Ramagem to return to Brazil to complete his sentence. Trump, previously, defended Bolsonaro’s leadership, calling him “a good president of Brazil” and labeling the coup trial a “witch hunt.” He also expressed surprise at Bolsonaro’s 27-year prison term.