Brazil’s president says he expects Alexandre Ramagen, who was detained in the United States, to be extradited to Brazil to serve his prison sentence.
Published April 14, 2026
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has called on the United States to extradite former intelligence chief Alexandre Ramajem to Brazil to face a prison sentence for his involvement in the coup plot.
Lula expressed optimism that Ramajem would be returned to Brazil in an interview on Tuesday, a day after he was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Florida.
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“I believe Ramajem will return to Brazil. He must return to serve his sentence,” Lula said in an interview with local news outlets.
The former intelligence chief fled Brazil in September after being sentenced to 16 years in prison for his role in a coup plot in support of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro after losing the 2022 election to Lula.
Brazil had previously requested Ramajem’s extradition, and Brazilian news outlet Folha de São Paulo reported that Lula’s arrest was due to a conviction in Brazil.
Mr. Bolsonaro’s political allies on Monday downplayed Mr. Ramajem’s detention by ICE, saying it was the result of a routine traffic stop and expressing optimism that he would be released.
As the former head of Brazil’s top intelligence agency, the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN), Ramajem also faces allegations of spying for Bolsonaro’s political opponents.
Bolsonaro himself is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence in Brazil, following a trial that drew the ire of US President Donald Trump, who said the coup plot included a plan to kill Lula and accused Brazil’s allies of being victims of a “witch hunt.”
President Trump had previously sanctioned Brazilian law enforcement officials involved in the incident, imposed heavy tariffs on the South American nation and demanded that the case against Bolsonaro be dropped.
Relations have since improved, with President Trump easing some tariffs and building a more friendly relationship with leftist Lula.
The United States and Brazil recently announced a joint effort to crack down on drug and weapons shipments.
