Suicide bomber attacks Brazil's Supreme Court, forcing evacuation

SÃO PAULO – A man who failed to break into Brazil’s Supreme Court killed himself Wednesday in explosions outside the building, forcing judges and staff to evacuate, authorities said.

The two powerful explosions were heard around 7:30 p.m. after the day’s hearing ended and all judges and staff had safely left the building, Brazil’s Supreme Court said in a statement.

Local firefighters confirmed that one man died on the spot in the capital Brasilia, but were unable to identify him.

Celina Leão, the lieutenant governor of Brazil’s federal district, said the suspect had previously detonated explosives in a car in a Congressional parking lot, causing no injuries.

“His first action was to explode the car. He then approached the High Court and tried to enter the building. He failed and then there were the other explosions,” Leão said at a news conference.

Local media reported that the car that exploded belonged to a member of Brazil’s Liberal Party, the same as former President Jair Bolsonaro. Leão said only investigation will determine whether the car’s owner is the same man who died in the explosions.

Leão recommended that Congress close on Thursday to avoid new risks. Brazil’s Senate has heeded her call and the lower house will be closed until noon, President Arthur Lira said.

“It could have been a lone wolf, like others we have seen around the world,” Leão said at a news conference. “We consider it a suicide because there was only one victim. But research will show whether that was indeed the case.”

Leão added that only forensics can identify the body, which remained outside the Supreme Court for three hours after the explosions.

The explosions outside the Supreme Court occurred about 20 seconds apart in Brasilia’s Three Powers Plaza, where Brazil’s main government buildings, including the Supreme Court, Congress and the presidential palace, are located.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was not in the adjacent presidential palace at the time, spokesman José Chrispiniano said.

Police blocked all access to the area and the Presidential Security Office conducted a search of the grounds surrounding the presidential palace.

Brazil’s federal police said it was investigating and did not provide a motive.

The Supreme Court has become a target for threats in recent years from far-right groups and Bolsonaro supporters over its crackdown on the spread of false information. Judge Alexandre de Moraes in particular was the focus of their anger.

Lula’s spokesman said the leftist leader met late Wednesday at the presidential residence with federal police chief Andrei Rodrigues and Supreme Court justices de Moraes and Cristiano Zanin.

Image credits: AP/Eraldo Peres