Ex-Brazil Spy Chief, Fugitive from Coup Sentence, Arrested in U.S.

Alexandre Ramagem, a former intelligence chief under ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, is now in custody in the United States. He was arrested as a fugitive from Brazilian justice. Ramagem was convicted in Brazil for his role in a plot to keep Bolsonaro in power after he lost the 2022 election. A court sentenced him to nearly 16 years in prison earlier this year. He fled Brazil before he could be imprisoned. U.S. authorities detained him based on an Interpol "red notice" request from Brazil. This notice flags individuals as wanted by another country. In Brazil, Ramagem was found guilty of being part of a criminal organization. Prosecutors said the group planned to kidnap opponents and attack institutions to overturn the election results. As the former head of Brazil's ABIN intelligence agency, Ramagem was a key Bolsonaro ally. His arrest is a significant development in Brazil's ongoing investigations into the post-election coup attempt. U.S. and Brazilian authorities are now coordinating his extradition process.