• Ex-Brazilian intelligence chief Alexandre Ramagem detained by US ICE after coup conviction.
• Ramagem was sentenced to 16 years for plotting to prevent Lula's election in 2022.
• Brazil's President Lula is seeking Ramagem's extradition to serve his sentence.
• Ramagem fled Brazil before his sentencing, entering the US on a diplomatic passport.
• Political allies of Bolsonaro claim detention resulted from a minor issue.

Alexandre Ramagem, Brazil's former intelligence chief, has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Florida after fleeing Brazil due to a conviction for his role in a coup plot. Ramagem was sentenced to 16 years in prison in September for attempting to undermine President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's election victory in 2022, having previously worked under former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is also serving a lengthy prison sentence for similar charges, according to South China Morning Post and Le Monde.

Ramagem fled Brazil through Guyana, bypassing regular immigration checks and reportedly entered the United States using a diplomatic passport. ICE confirmed Ramagem's detention, attributing it to international cooperation between Brazilian federal police and U.S. law enforcement officials, as stated by the Brazilian police, according to CBS News and BBC.

Following his detention, President Lula expressed optimism regarding Ramagem's extradition, stating he expects the former spy chief to return to Brazil to serve his prison sentence. Brazil had formally requested his extradition in December, which has gained renewed attention since his arrest in the United States, as reported by Al Jazeera.

While Ramagem's supporters downplay the seriousness of his situation, framing his arrest as stemming from a minor traffic violation, Brazilian officials assert that he is a fugitive wanted for serious crimes, including armed criminal association and attempted coup d'état. Furthermore, he faces ongoing investigations related to alleged illegal spying activities conducted during his tenure as head of the Agencia Brasileira de Inteligência (ABIN), according to South China Morning Post and Le Monde.