Nearly five months after the Argentine judiciary ordered the arrest of around 60 Brazilian fugitives convicted for their involvement in the January 8, 2023 coup attempt, only five have been detained. Now, they are close to facing trial in Buenos Aires.
Hearings to assess the extradition request for the group, which has been imprisoned for over four months, are set to be scheduled for April or May. They will be able to appeal to the Argentine Supreme Court if Judge Daniel Rafecas confirms their extradition. The Court of Appeals has already rejected the defense’s appeals.
BRASÍLIA, DF, BRASIL, 08.01.2023: Protesters during the coup attempt demonstration (Foto: Pedro Ladeira/Folhapress) - Pedro Ladeira/Folhapress
Speaking to **Folha**, Rafecas said he sees a "clear coordinated effort to flee Argentina," given the low number of arrests since he signed the warrants. Some of the fugitives who were in Argentina are now known to be in the U.S. and Mexico.
The arrested individuals are: Joelton Gusmão de Oliveira (sentenced to 17 years in Brazil), Rodrigo de Freitas Moro Ramalho (14 years), Joel Borges Correa (13 years), Wellington Luiz Firmino (17 years), and Ana Paula de Souza (14 years).
The case drew attention because all five requested asylum in Argentina, claiming to be political refugees. The country’s laws state that, in principle, an asylum seeker cannot be extradited while their request is under review by the immigration authority, a process that can take years.
However, in October, Javier Milei’s government changed internal regulations to prevent asylum from being granted to individuals accused or convicted of serious crimes. It remains unclear whether the January 8 fugitives would fall under this classification.
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