At least four fugitives from the January 8 attacks were arrested while trying to enter illegally in the US – three of them the day after the inauguration of, in January.
The information was confirmed to UOL by ICE, the US immigration and customs police, who also said the fugitives “await expulsion to their home countries.”
Women – other crimes on 8/1, including attempted coup d’état, and a defendant with arrest warrants in Brazil – have been detained on American soil for more than 50 days.
The border patrolling service did not detail “for privacy reasons” under which conditions were arrested – if in immigration posts or if in places on the border where the crossing is often done with coyotes.
The four fugitives are part of the group of militants that left Brazil from the first half of 2024 and settled in. At the end of the year, threatened by requests for extradition of the (Supreme Federal Court), they fled again to the US. The goal was to achieve political refuge with the government of Donald Trump, ally of the former president (PL).
Raquel Souza Lopes, from Joinville (SC), tried to enter the US on January 12. It is trapped in Ice’s detention in Raymondville, Texas.
Rosana Maciel Gomes, from (GO); Michely Paiva Alves, from Limeira (SP), and Cristiane da Silva, from (SC), tried to enter the US on January 21. They are trapped in the detention of Ice in El Paso, Texas.
On the eve of the trio’s arrest, Trump promised – to assume the presidency – to make mass deportations of illegal immigrants. “Every illegal entry will be immediately interrupted and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of foreign criminals to the places they came from.”
Other 8/1 fugitives continue in Argentina, Colombia and Peru, among other Latin American countries, foreign police and sources reported to UOL.
They claim to be persecuted politicians for defending Bolsonaro, defeated at the polls in 2022. They claim that they did not commit crimes of attempted coup or damage to public assets in the invasion of the headquarters of the three powers on January 8, 2023.
“There was a narrative that the acts of 8 January were not merely vandalism, but the attempt to deposition the current government,” says the report of the investigated association in the episode, ASFAV.
For the entity, prison sentences of up to 17 years are “very tough”.
US government says it prepare deportation
Raquel tried to enter the city of La Grulla (east of the Texas border), Ice told UOL. Nine days later, it was Rosana, Michely and Cristiane’s turn to try to join El Paso, more than 1,100 km west of La Grulla.
According to Ice, the four arrests were made by border patrolling because they “entered illegally in the country.”
“The US Border Patrol arrested the […] Foreigners on the same day and sued them as rapid expulsions, “Ice’s statement tells UOL.
The so -called “accelerated expulsions” are faster deportation processes. The measure is used “to deport many foreigners without an audience in front of an immigration judge,” says the US NGO Freedom for immigrants, who works to end immigration arrests.
Itamaraty told UOL that, for legal reasons, “does not provide detailed information on assistance to Brazilian citizens.”
Raquel de Souza Lopes, 51, from Joinville
He was sentenced to 17 years in prison for five crimes in 8/1, such as coup d’état, criminal association and public property damage. It has an open arrest warrant in Brazil. Rachel denies having destroyed goods.
Last April, he left the country with a group of militants through the border that Santa Catarina has with Argentina. He remained until November 17 in the neighboring country, when he fled from Buenos Aires with another group of militants after the Argentine court had a fugitive targets from STF extradition requests.
In Chile, he crossed the Atacama desert and arrived in Peru through the city of Santa Rosa. He headed for Colombia and arrived in Mexico. On January 12, he tried to enter the US through the city of La Grulla, Texas. On the 19th, he was transferred to the Ice El Valle detention unit in Raymondville.
His STF lawyer abandoned the case in December. In conversation with UOL, Rachel’s son, Acenil Francisco, said the family “is running after a lawyer to defend her.”
Rosana Maciel Gomes, 51, from Goiânia
Rosana was sentenced to 14 years in prison for five crimes on 8/1. It has two open arrest warrants and an extradition order in Argentina.
Fled from Brazil in January 2024, when he arrived in Uruguay. In April, he was in Buenos Aires. In November, he left Argentina with a group to the US. He passed through Peru, Colombia and arrived in Mexico. He was arrested in El Paso (USA) on January 21. On January 27, it was transferred to the ICE detention in the same city.
According to his defense at the Supreme Court, “when [Rosana] He entered the Planalto Palace saw that public goods were damaged and did not damage any good, so much so that he was in a state of shock to see such a situation. “Her defense said he could not comment on his situation abroad.
Friends of Rosana Maciel sought help from the Brazilian Consulate in Houston, Texas.
Michely Paiva Alves, 38, from Limeira
The merchant Michely is defendant for five crimes on 8/1. He applied for the councilwoman of her city for Somos as she responded to criminal proceedings in the STF. It has an open arrest warrant.
The PF found proof that she organized and funded a 30 -person bus from Limeira to go to 8/1 attacks. The freight cost R $ 12 thousand, of which R $ 6,500 paid for Michelle. She admitted the business to the investigators and said she called people who were in front of the Army unit in Limeira.
Her defense said that “there is no evidence that the accused depreciated the National Congress, as well as [de que] participates in criminal movements “.
In September, he fled to Argentina. The following month, he embarked with militants for the US. He passed through Peru, Colombia and Mexico. He was arrested in El Paso on January 21 and is detained in the same city.
UOL sought its lawyers, but obtained no clarification.
Cristiane da Silva, 33, by Balneário Camboriú (SC)
The waitress was sentenced by the STF to one year in prison for criminal association and incitement to the crime on 8/1. It has arrest warrant in Brazil.
Her defense told the Supreme Court that Cristiane “was not involved in the protest and was not even camped for days” to incite the armed forces to blow. She said she was to Brasilia “for a walk.” To PF said he paid $ 500 in the passage of a collective that transported militants.
Cristiane fled in June 2024 to Buenos Aires. In November, he joined other militants and fled to the US. He passed through Peru, Colombia and Mexico. He was arrested in El Paso and is detained in the same city.
Cristiane’s defense states that measures are being taken to resolve her situation in the US.
