Police Delegate Rebeca Ramagem, wife of federal deputy Alexandre Ramagem (PL-RJ), stated on Sunday, the 24th, that the family’s move to the United States was motivated by what she called “inhumane political persecution” carried out by the Supreme Federal Court (STF). The statement was made through a video and messages published on her Instagram profile.
According to Rebeca, the decision represents the beginning of a new journey, focused on protecting their daughters in what she described as a “hostile and biased environment.” “We are facing a Justice system that acts with political interests and without minimum guarantees of impartiality,” she wrote. She also mentioned the concept of lawfare, a term used to describe the use of the judiciary as an instrument of political persecution. Ramagem, in a crushing vote in the Chamber of Deputies, had been removed from the process that later condemned him.
Deputy Alexandre Ramagem was sentenced by four out of eleven STF ministers to 16 years and one month in prison for alleged participation in an attempted institutional rupture in 2023. Although he was on medical leave from his mandate, his preventive detention was ordered by Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The Federal Police is investigating whether he left the country by land, crossing the border through Roraima.
In the video released, Rebeca appears arriving in the United States with her daughters and reuniting with her husband at the airport. She did not detail how the congressman entered the country but emphasized that the family’s priority is to preserve unity and values, even abroad. “We will remain firm, waiting for a country where political positions are not treated as crimes,” she concluded.
In addition to her public statement, Rebeca published two emotional messages. In the first, she denounced what she called an “unjust and disproportionate persecution” and claimed that the judicial process against Ramagem was “simply insane,” without concrete evidence. She also criticized the system for affecting not only the politician but also his wife and young children:
“You received almost one million votes of confidence from people who believe in you and what you stand for. […] It only shows the desperation of those who cannot defeat you at the polls and try at all costs to turn into a crime what was never a crime!”
In her second post, Rebeca recalled significant episodes in Ramagem’s career, such as being prevented from assuming the position of Director-General of the Federal Police, his performance in the January 8th Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPMI), and the investigations into the so-called “parallel Abin.” She highlighted her husband’s resilience in the face of adversity:
“Once again, you stood firm, with courage, intelligence, and strategy. And I, as always, by your side, supporting you, defending you, loving you. You are the best federal deputy from Rio de Janeiro.”
The messages ended with appeals to faith, hope, and the fight for justice, reinforcing that the family will remain united and determined to face the adverse scenario.
In May 2025, the Chamber of Deputies approved a resolution suspending the criminal action against Alexandre Ramagem, accused of attempting a coup d’état, criminal organization, and violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law. The measure would also benefit former president Jair Bolsonaro and other defendants in the same case.
However, the First Panel of the Supreme Federal Court, composed of five ministers and led by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, overturned the Chamber’s decision and maintained the case against Ramagem. The justification was that the suspension approved by the Legislature had no power to halt a criminal action already underway in the STF.
The Chamber’s Board reacted by filing a Constitutional claim (ADPF) to try to reverse Moraes’ decision. The legal clash reignited the debate over the limits between the branches of government and the autonomy of the Legislature in relation to the Judiciary.
According to jurists and parliamentarians, the Federal Constitution establishes that the National Congress has prerogatives to suspend proceedings against its members, especially when there are signs of abuse of power or violations of parliamentary guarantees. However, Justice Alexandre de Moraes, sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act for human rights violations and rapporteur of the case, ignored the Chamber’s deliberation and continued the criminal action, even ordering the preventive detention of Ramagem.
The maneuver was considered by jurists as an affront to the separation of powers and a direct violation of Article 53 of the Constitution, which protects the exercise of parliamentary mandate. “The STF could not override the Chamber’s decision in this case. It was a maneuver that did not respect the Constitution,” said an opposition deputy.
The Board of the Chamber filed a Constitutional claim (ADPF) in an attempt to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision, but so far there has been no official response, and the trial proceeded and was concluded.
Despite the controversy, Alexandre de Moraes ordered the preventive detention of Ramagem in November 2025 after reports that he was in the United States, following the deputy’s departure from Brazil.
The maneuver by the STF was seen by Ramagem’s allies as an affront to the sovereignty of the Chamber, while opposition parliamentarians, such as Lindbergh Farias (PT-RJ), argued that preventive detention does not require authorization from Congress, in accordance with Article 53 of the Constitution.
