- Blast outside Brazil’s Supreme Court leaves one dead
- The area is home to the country’s top government institutions
- Investigations are underway
Blast outside Brazil’s Supreme Court leaves one dead
A man was found dead following two explosions near Brazil’s Supreme Court in Brasília on Wednesday evening. The area, home to the country’s top government institutions—the Supreme Court, parliament, and presidential palace—was shaken by the blasts, prompting an evacuation of the court building.
Deputy Governor Celina Leão stated that the incident began when a man attempted to enter the court but was stopped. The explosions occurred shortly after, and police discovered a body outside the building. Authorities have not yet provided further details about the individual or the cause of the explosions.
Solicitor General Jorge Messias condemned the act as a deliberate attack and promised a full investigation. The Supreme Court confirmed in a statement that justices had been safely evacuated after finishing a plenary session.
The blasts happened near the Plaza de los Tres Poderes, across from the presidential palace. Local media reported that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had left the area shortly before the incident.
“It could have been a lone wolf, like others we’ve seen around the world,” Leão told reporters, according to the AP news agency.
“We are considering it as a suicide because there was only one victim. But investigations will show if that was indeed the case.”
The explosions come at a tense time, just days ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to Brasília following the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.
