On March 23, 2025, both Interpol and the U.S. Department of State explicitly denied the extradition request of journalist Allan dos Santos, as presented by Brazilian Minister Alexandre de Moraes. The organizations concluded that the evidence of alleged criminal activities gathered by Moraes was insufficient to proceed with the extradition.
As a result, Santos’ name will not be added to the international fugitives list, and all data relating to him have been purged from Interpol’s system, signaling a significant blow to the legal maneuvering against him.
Allan dos Santos, who founded the right-wing news portal Terça Livre, has been living in the United States since 2020 following his emergence as a target in Brazilian investigations into digital militias and misinformation campaigns.
His legal troubles escalated in October 2021 when Moraes ordered Santos’ preventive detention. The accusations against him include money laundering, participation in a criminal organization, and incitement to defamation aimed at destabilizing the Brazilian democracy—charges that Santos adamantly denies, claiming they stem from political persecution.
In December 2021 and July 2022, Interpol requested additional information from Moraes regarding the money laundering allegations, but the minister stated he could not provide further details. Consequently, in December 2022, Interpol announced it would not include Santos on the red notice list due to a lack of clarification on the charges.
In early 2023, the U.S. government echoed these sentiments, indicating to Moraes that the evidence he provided was deficient. They sought specifics about the supposed criminal activities Santos engaged in, as well as the legal definitions applicable to the allegations of criminal organization and money laundering.
Despite his current circumstances, Allan dos Santos professes his legality in residing within the U.S. and asserts he has faced extensive censorship, particularly regarding his online platforms which were blocked. Recently, Moraes ordered tech companies Meta and X to release information concerning Santos’ actions on their platforms between June 2024 and February 2025, establishing a $100,000 daily penalty for non-compliance.
The ongoing tensions between Brazilian judicial authorities and Santos highlight potential jurisdictional complexities and the ramifications of international legal requests. Observers have pointed out that the U.S. may also reevaluate its procedures regarding extradition requests when the underlying evidence remains disputed by both Interpol and the State Department.
As the situation progresses, Santos continues to navigate this challenging chapter as he insists he remains the target of undue persecution rather than any genuine judicial scrutiny.
