Brazil’s fugitive former intelligence chief and lawmaker Alexandre Ramagem has been taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Ramagem, who faces a 16-year jail sentence in Brazil for his alleged involvement in a coup plot with far-right ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, has been dwelling in exile in Florida in latest months.
Brazil’s federal police appeared to reference Ramagem’s detention in an announcement revealed Monday. It stated a Brazilian fugitive convicted by the Brazilian Supreme Court had been “arrested” in Florida, saying it was the results of “international police cooperation between Brazil and the United States in the fight against organized crime.”
Contacted by NCS, it didn’t say whether or not it had requested Ramagem’s extradition.
ICE’s web site stated that Ramagem was “in ICE custody,” however didn’t present additional particulars.
Journalist Paulo Figueiredo, an ally of Bolsonaro, stated Ramagem was detained after a visitors cease and subsequently referred to ICE. He added that Ramagem has authorized standing within the US and has a pending asylum request underneath overview.
Figueiredo advised NCS that Immigrex, an organization the place he’s a accomplice, is offering authorized illustration to Ramagem.
Ramagem, who served as director of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency underneath Bolsonaro, attended a security forum at a Trump golf resort in Miami final month.
NCS has reached out to the US Department of Homeland Security, the State Department and the Brazilian presidency for extra data.
Ramagem’s detention comes after Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Friday introduced a brand new settlement with US authorities to crack down on organized crime.