Explosion outside Brazil Supreme Court leaves one dead

At least one explosion outside Brazil’s Supreme Court has killed one person and forced the justices and staff to evacuate the building in the capital of Brasilia, police and firefighters said.

A police statement said an item exploded outside the court without providing more details.

Local firefighters confirmed that one person died at the scene, but did not identify the victim.

The court’s justices and staff safely left the building after the incident, which took place at about 7.30pm local time, shortly after Wednesday’s session finished.

Celina Leao, the lieutenant governor of Brazil’s federal district, recommended that Congress be closed on Thursday to avoid new risks.

She said police believe the man who died caused the explosions.

“It could have been a lone wolf, like others we’ve seen around the world,” Ms Leao 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.”

Ms Leao added only forensics would be able to identify the body, which remained outside the Supreme Court for two hours after the incident.

Local media showed footage suggesting two blasts outside the court, with 20 seconds between the first and the second explosions.

The Supreme Court in recent years has become a target for threats due to its crackdown on the spread of false information amid Brazil’s deep polarisation.

Jose Chrispiniano, a spokesman for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said the 79-year-old leader was not in the neighbouring presidential palace at the time of the blast.

Police blocked all access to the area where Brazil’s Supreme Court, Congress and the presidential palace are located.

Local press reported that the presidential security bureau was sweeping the grounds around the presidential palace.

Earlier, another explosion was heard outside Brazil’s Congress, but it did not cause damage.