Armando Fernandez Larios released after ICE arrest

Armando Fernandez Larios, a 76-year-old former Chilean intelligence operative, was released from U.S. custody in March 2025 following his arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Fort Myers, Florida. Larios was identified by the Department of Homeland Security as one of the “worst of worst criminal aliens” due to his alleged involvement in the 1976 car bomb assassination of former Chilean Defense Minister Orlando Letelier.

Documents obtained by the National Security Archive indicate that Larios successfully challenged his detention by accusing the U.S. government of a “breach of contract.” Larios claimed the government violated a 1987 plea agreement in which he provided critical information to U.S. prosecutors regarding the Letelier assassination in exchange for a significantly reduced sentence and specific legal protections.