The Brazilian Federal Police stated in a press release that Alexandre Ramagem’s arrest by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) resulted from “international police cooperation between Brazil’s Federal Police and US law enforcement authorities.”

According to the Federal Police, Ramagem was detained in Orlando.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Brazil bigger than coup plotters, Lula says at Supreme Court ceremony.
• Rally in Rio recalls January 8, rejects amnesty for coup plotters.
• Lula recalls coup attempt, says democracy must be protected.

“The detainee is considered a fugitive from Brazilian justice following his conviction for the crimes of participation in an armed criminal organization, attempted coup d’état, and attempted violent abolition of the rule of law,” the statement read.

The US Department of Homeland Security’s website lists Ramagem as “in ICE custody.”

Conviction

In September last year, Alexandre Ramagem fled Brazil after the Supreme Court sentenced him to 16 years, 1 month, and 15 days in prison for attempted coup d’état, participation in a criminal organization, and attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law.

Despite being barred from leaving the country, the former congressman crossed the border into Guyana and traveled to the United States using a diplomatic passport that had not been confiscated.

Ramagem’s name appears on Interpol’s list of wanted fugitives. Through its embassy in Washington, the Brazilian government has requested Alexandre Ramagem’s extradition from the United States. The petition was submitted to the State Department in late December 2025.

Ramagem served as director-general of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN) during the administration of Jair Bolsonaro (2019–2022) and lost his seat in Congress in December 2025 following a House Steering Committee decision after his conviction by Brazil’s Supreme Court.

Alexandre Ramagem was a career Federal Police officer who was dismissed following his conviction.

*TV Brasil and Rádio Nacional contributed to this report.

A crackdown by the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro in the Maré favela complex resulted in the seizure of approximately 48 tons of drugs. The narcotics were stored in a drug trafficking bunker in the Nova Holanda slum. According to the state government, this is the largest drug seizure in Brazilian history.

The operation started on Tuesday (Apr. 7) and was completed early Wednesday morning (8). Police located the drugs with the help of sniffer dogs. Officers also confiscated five rifles and four handguns, in addition to recovering 26 stolen vehicles. One suspect was arrested.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Factions, police operations traumatize favela residents.
• Rio faces deadliest police operation in recent years.

In the view of Commander-General Colonel Sylvio Guerra, the record seizure is the result of a “surgical operation.” He also highlighted the level of technical and operational expertise employed.

“Through planning, intelligence, and the specialized work of the K-9 Unit and all units involved in the operation, we achieved a significant result in weakening criminal organizations, and, most importantly, without collateral damage,” he said in a statement.

The 48 tons of drugs were valued at around BRL 50 million. Guerra views the operation as “a major blow” to drug trafficking.

The operation was carried out in the Nova Holanda and Parque União favelas, with the participation of approximately 250 military officers.

Record

According to the Military Police, intelligence reports led officers to locate a shipping container used by drug traffickers to store drugs in the early hours of the operation. At the site, they seized vials and some 200 liters of the inhalant drug known as “lança-perfume,” as well as materials used in its production.

The officers continued the search by raiding the favelas, when K-9 Unit agents identified a suspicious facility. There, they found a “drug trafficking bunker” containing more than 24 thousand slabs of marijuana, each weighing approximately two kilograms. The contraband was taken away in cargo trucks.

The Superior Court of Justice on Tuesday (Apr. 7) authorized the resumption of the case in Federal Court in Minas Gerais to determine the criminal liability of former Vale CEO Fabio Schvartsman in the 2019 dam collapse at the Córrego do Feijão mine in Brumadinho.

By a majority vote, the justices of the Sixth Panel of the Superior Court accepted an appeal from the Federal Prosecutors’ Office to overturn the March 2024 decision of the Federal Regional Court of the 6th Region, which had dismissed the criminal case against the former CEO.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Brumadinho tragedy case heads to court after seven years.
• More Mariana tragedy victims choose compensation in Brazil.
• London court to hold new hearing on Mariana tragedy in July.

At the time, the court ruled that there was no evidence of Schvartsman’s involvement in the dam collapse and no justification for continuing the proceedings.

The case began being heard by the Court in September of last year and was suspended three times due to requests for review.

At the start of the trial, Schvartsman’s defense argued for upholding the TRF6 decision, stating that the Court had recognized that the former CEO could not be held liable.

The dam burst in January 2019, and more than 270 bodies were recovered from the tailings by the Fire Department.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered on Wednesday (Apr. 1) the execution of arrest and search warrants against businessman Marcelo Conde, accused of financing an illegal scheme to access the financial data of Supreme Court justices, their relatives, and other officials.

The measures were ordered during the second phase of Operation Exfil, which investigates the sale of the data. Federal Police agents were unable to locate the businessman, who lives in Rio de Janeiro.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Supreme Court justice grants house arrest to Bolsonaro.
• Brazil Supreme Court orders arrest of “Black Kids” in coup plot.

According to the investigation, Conde is accused of financing a scheme to illegally obtain confidential tax data protected by law.

Federal Police investigators said Marcelo Conde allegedly provided lists of victims’ records from the Federal Revenue Service and made a cash payment of BRL 4,500 to obtain the data. The information was allegedly accessed illegally by Federal Revenue Service employees, outsourced staff, customs brokers, and intermediaries with access to the systems of the Federal Revenue Service and the Financial Activities Control Council (COAF).

In light of the evidence gathered by the police, Moraes also ordered the lifting of confidentiality on the defendant’s cell phone records and cloud-based data.

Confidentiality

Investigators also discovered that, in addition to Supreme Court justices and their relatives, the tax data of Attorney General Paulo Gonet Branco, ministers of the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), federal representatives, former senators, heads of federal regulatory agencies, and a former governor were improperly accessed.

In total, the scheme allegedly accessed data from 1,819 people.

In a statement, attorney Nélio Machado noted the businessman’s defense team had not yet had access to the judge’s ruling ordering the measures.

“We learned today of the measures ordered against our client, but we have not yet had access to the ruling. We immediately filed a request to access it and are now awaiting approval to take further action,” stated the defense.