Former Brazilian intelligence chief Alexandre Ramajem was reportedly detained by U.S. immigration officials in Florida on Monday. This follows his sentencing by the Brazilian government to prison for conspiring to keep former President Jair Bolsonaro in power after the 2022 elections. Ramajem reportedly fled Brazil in September 2025, just after receiving a 16-year prison sentence. Supporters argue that he has a pending asylum request in the U.S. and should not face deportation.
Although Brazil’s Federal Police did not name Ramajem explicitly in their statement about his detention, they referred to the crimes he was convicted of, including being part of an armed criminal organization, attempting a coup, and trying to violently disrupt the rule of law.
Senator Jorge Seif, a Bolsonaro ally, took to social media to confirm Ramajem’s detention and has called for his release, emphasizing that political asylum should be granted to him and his family. Seif remarked, “Political persecution against President Bolsonaro, his sons, and his allies is now impacting elected representatives abroad.” He added that they have informed the U.S. embassy with reasons to support Ramajem’s asylum claim.
Authorities in Brazil indicated that Ramajem’s arrest was due to “international police cooperation” and not directly linked to his earlier convictions. Meanwhile, Brazilian journalist Paulo Figueiredo reported that Ramajem was taken into custody for what was described as a “minor traffic violation,” after which he was referred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Figueiredo mentioned Ramajem is in the process of seeking asylum in the U.S.
Figueiredo also stated that the visa consulting firm Immigrex, of which he is a partner, is ready to provide full services to assist Ramajem. He expressed hope for Ramajem’s swift release, suggesting that there seems to be no imminent risk of deportation, given ICE’s bureaucratic procedures.
As of now, sources report that Ramajem is listed in ICE’s online detainee database, though searches found his name absent the following day. Efforts to obtain comments from the Department of Homeland Security and ICE are ongoing.
It’s worth noting that Brazilian authorities have claimed that the coup led by Bolsonaro and his supporters started months ahead of the 2022 election, which they allege was rigged against him. Following Luiz Inácio da Silva’s election victory, Bolsonaro failed to concede and was later convicted for attempting to overthrow the government—he is currently serving a 27-year sentence related to those actions.
