Man kills himself with blasts outside Brazil's Supreme Court after
failing to get inside
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[November 14, 2024]
By MAURICIO SAVARESE
SAO PAULO (AP) — A man who failed in an attempt to break into Brazil's
Supreme Court killed himself in explosions outside the building
Wednesday that forced justices and staff to evacuate, authorities said.
The two strong blasts were heard about 7:30 p.m. after the day's session
finished and all the justices and staff left the building safely,
Brazil's Supreme Court said in a statement.
Local firefighters confirmed one man died at the scene in the capital
Brasilia, but did not identify him.
Celina Leão, the lieutenant governor of Brazil's federal district, said
the suspect had earlier detonated explosives in a car in a Congress
parking lot, which did not cause injuries.
“His first action was to explode the car. Then he approached the Supreme
Court and tried to get in the building. He failed and then there were
the other explosions,” Leão said in a news conference.
Local media reported that the car that exploded belonged to a member of
Brazil's Liberal Party, the same of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Leão said only investigations will determine whether the owner of the
car is the same man who died in the blasts.
Leão recommended that Congress be closed Thursday to avoid new risks.
Brazil's Senate heeded her call and the lower house will be shut until
noon, speaker Arthur Lira said.
“It could have been a lone wolf, like others we've seen around the
world,” Leão said in a news conference. “We are considering it as a
suicide because there was only one victim. But investigations will show
if that was indeed the case.”
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A body lies outside the Supreme Court in Brasília, Brazil, following
an explosion, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Leão added only forensics will be able to identify the body, which
remained outside the Supreme Court for three hours after the blasts.
The blasts outside the Supreme Court took place about 20 seconds
apart in Brasilia's Three Powers Plaza, where Brazil’s main
government buildings, including the Supreme Court, Congress and
presidential palace, are located.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was not in the neighboring
presidential palace at the time, spokesman José Chrispiniano said.
Police blocked all access to the area and the presidential security
bureau was conducting a sweep of the grounds around the presidential
palace.
Brazil’s federal police said it is investigating and did not provide
a motive.
The Supreme Court in recent years has become a target for threats by
far-right groups and supporters of Bolsonaro's due to its crackdown
on the spread of false information. In particular, Justice Alexandre
de Moraes has been a focus for their ire.
Lula's spokesman said that late on Wednesday the leftist leader was
gathering at the presidential residence with federal police chief
Andrei Rodrigues, and Supreme Court Justices de Moraes and Cristiano
Zanin.
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