Brazil’s Supreme Court has been evacuated and a man was found dead after two explosions were heard outside the building on Wednesday night.
The explosion hit the center of the Brazilian capital – where the Supreme Court, parliament and the presidential palace are all located.
The Deputy Governor of Brasilia said the explosions occurred after a man tried to enter the court and was blocked. The police confirmed that they found the body outside the building, but did not provide any further details.
The Attorney General of the country, Jorge Messias, condemned what he said was a deliberate attack and vowed that a full investigation will be launched into the explosion.
“I strongly condemn the attack on the Supreme Court and the small house,” he said in a statement sent to X.
“We must know the motive behind the attack, and re-establish peace and security as soon as possible.”
Photos carried by news agencies show the deceased lying outside the court, while the police cordoned off the area.
A police spokesman told AFP that they “can confirm that there is a body in front of the High Court”, but did not provide further details.
The Deputy Governor of Brasilia, Celina Leao, told the media that the explosion happened after a man approached the gate of the court and failed to enter, and recommended that the parliament be closed on Thursday as the investigation continues.
“It may have been a lone wolf, like others we have seen around the world,” he told reporters, according to the AP news agency.
“We consider it a suicide because there is only one victim. But the investigation will reveal whether it is really the case.”
Earlier, the Supreme Court in a statement said the building was evacuated as a “precautionary measure” after the explosion was heard. The judges had just finished hearing the plenary session and were quickly escorted out safely, it added.
The court is located in the Plaza de los Tres Poderes, across the square from the presidential palace. Local media reported that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva left the area shortly before the explosion.
The blast comes a week before Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the capital, following a trip to the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.
Last year, the stadium became the center of chaos, after supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro broke into buildings in an attempt to prevent his defeat in the election by President Lula.
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