Meet Alexandre Ramagem, Federal Police Chief and Friend of Bolsonaro’s Sons

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Tuesday, April 28th, President Jair Bolsonaro appointed Detective Inspector Alexandre Ramagem to the command of the Federal Police (PF). The change in the PF’s leadership was the trigger for the former Lava Jato judge Sérgio Moro’s resignation from the Ministry of Justice last week.

[On Wednesday, April 29th, after this post was published, STF Justice Alexandre de Moraes granted a temporary restraining order against Ramagem taking office. PDT filed the suit alleging a flagrant abuse of the presidential power to appoint, based on Ramagem’s close relationship to Bolsonaro’s sons.]

According to the former Justice Minister, Bolsonaro wanted to change the PF Director-General in order to have access to confidential intelligence data and reports.

Ramagem was the Director-General of the ABIN (Brazilian Intelligence Agency) and is a trusted ally of the President and his sons. A career detective in the Federal Police, he grew close to the Bolsonaro family during the 2018 campaign, when he led the security team for the presidential candidate.

Carlos Bolsonaro is one of his main supporters and was directly behind the decision that brought him to head the intelligence agency last June.

The endorsement of the “#2 son” was earned during the political crisis that led to the exit of the then Minister of the Government Secretariat, General Carlos Santos Cruz. Ramagem served as a special advisor to the portfolio and remained faithful to the family. Santos Cruz fell after attacks from the so-called “hate bureau” headed by Carlos.

On Sunday, April 26th, the President replied to a social media follower who challenged Ramagem’s friendship relationship with his sons. “So what? Before meeting my children I met Ramagem. So he should be vetoed? Whose friend should I choose?” wrote Bolsonaro.

A Federal Police chief detective since 2005, Ramagem commanded the Human Resources Administration Division from 2013 to 2014 and the Studies, Legislations, and Opinions Division from 2016 to 2017. He also coordinated major events held in the country in recent years, such as the United Nations Conference Rio+20 (2012), the Confederations Cup (2013), the World Cup (2014) and the Rio Olympics (2016).

In 2017, Ramagem joined the team in charge of the investigation and intelligence of the judicial police in Operation Lava Jato. In one of the actions he commanded, Operation Cadeia Velha (Old Prison), members of the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro were arrested.

In 2018, before serving in Bolsonaro’s security team, he took over the Human Resources Coordination of the Federal Police, as a temporary substitute. After the election, in January 2019, he joined the Government Secretariat and, from there, the ABIN.

Leftist Federal Deputy Marcelo Freixo (PSOL) plans to file a lawsuit in the Federal District seeking to overturn the appointment of Ramagem as Director-General. “Bolsonaro’s goal in appointing Ramagem, a close friend of the family, to the command of the Federal Police, is to control and turn the institution into a political police force at his service,” he said.

The right-wing MBL (Free Brazil Movement), on the other hand, brought a class action calling for the suspension of Ramagem’s appointment. Federal Deputy Kim Kataguiri (DEM), one of the group’s coordinators, criticizes Bolsonaro’s intention to use the position for personal ends. “The class action is based on the [President’s] violation of the principle of morality,” he said.

Source: Folhapress