Two explosions occurred near Brazil’s Supreme Court on Wednesday night, resulting in one fatality, identified by police as the suspected attacker. The individual, Francisco Wanderley Luiz, 59, had previously run for local office in 2020 under the conservative Liberal Party associated with former President Jair Bolsonaro.
The blasts took place in BrasÃlia, the capital, approximately 20 seconds apart around 7:30 p.m., according to Celina Leão, the vice governor of Brazil’s Federal District. The first explosion originated from a car parked near the Supreme Court, while the second occurred in a nearby plaza close to Brazil’s Congress and the offices of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who narrowly defeated Bolsonaro in the 2022 election. Officials confirmed that President Lula was not present at his offices during the incident.
Leão stated that authorities are treating the incident as the act of a lone bomber, although the investigation is ongoing. It was reported that the deceased had attempted to enter the Supreme Court building prior to the explosions.
Images from the scene depicted a body in the plaza, known as Three Powers Square. Authorities refrained from moving the body due to concerns about potential unexploded devices. Military police and bomb squads were deployed to secure the area.
The vehicle involved in the first explosion was registered to Luiz, who hailed from the southern state of Santa Catarina. A man with the same name had previously run for city council in Rio do Sul, Santa Catarina, as a Liberal Party candidate in 2020, receiving less than 1 percent of the vote. Local reports indicated that a post on his Facebook account prior to the explosions threatened political figures and warned police to defuse a bomb within 72 hours.
Brazil’s solicitor general, Jorge Messias, emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the explosions, stating, “The Federal Police will investigate the explosions in the perimeter of the Three Powers Square with rigor and speed. We need to know the motive for the attacks, as well as restore peace and security as quickly as possible.”
This incident follows a history of politically motivated violence in Brazil, including a failed bombing attempt near BrasÃlia’s airport in December 2022 and the storming of government buildings by Bolsonaro supporters in January 2023.
Many right-leaning Brazilians view the Supreme Court as a threat to democracy, alleging it targets conservative voices. The court has implemented a controversial crackdown on online misinformation and threats to Brazilian institutions, leading to the blocking of hundreds of social media accounts and the imprisonment of individuals involved in the January 2023 attack.
The explosions occurred just days before Rio de Janeiro is set to host a G20 summit, which will be attended by President Biden and other world leaders.