A Brazilian Federal Police stands on November 14, 2024 nearthe body of man carrying explosives who died in a blast as he attempted to attack Brazil's Supreme Court in Brasilia on November 13. (Photo by EVARISTO SA / AFP)
Brasília: Authorities in Brazil on Thursday were searching for the motive of a man who apparently tried to bomb the Supreme Court, killing himself in the process.
The Wednesday night attack comes just days before a G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro and Chinese leader Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to Brasilia, the capital where the bombing took place.
The man attempted in vain to enter the court building before setting off an explosion outside its doors, authorities said. There were no other injuries.
While a motive has not yet been determined, the bombing immediately evoked memories of last year's attack on Congress, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace in the wake of then-president Jair Bolsonaro's defeat at the polls.
There were two blasts on Wednesday, one from a vehicle, then "right after, the citizen approached the Supreme Court, where he tried to enter the building and was unable to," said Federal District Vice Governor Celina Leao.
The second explosion "happened right there at the door."
Leao called the death a "suicide," based on preliminary information, and said it was possible the man acted as a "lone wolf."
The GloboNews channel, citing police documents, reported that the man, named as Francisco Wanderley Luiz, was the owner of the car that exploded.
He was a candidate in local elections in 2020, running as a member of far-right Bolsonaro's Liberal Party.
In a post on social media, Attorney General Jorge Messias "vehemently" condemned "the attacks against the Supreme Federal Court and the Chamber of Deputies."
The court, Congress and presidential palace all sit on the same square, Praca dos Tres Poderes, in the Brazilian capital.
Police would investigate the incident "with rigor and speed," Messias said, adding: "We need to know the motive for the attacks, as well as restore peace and security as quickly as possible."
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was not at the palace at the time of the attack, according to the presidency.
Bolsonaro on Thursday called for dialogue toward an "environment of unity," writing on social media that "it is high time for Brazil to once again cultivate an environment suitable for different ideas to confront each other peacefully."
Denouncing the violence, he called it an isolated incident, and made an "appeal to all political parties and the leaders of national institutions to take the necessary steps to advance national peace at this time of tragedy."
On January 8, 2023, the seats of power in Brasilia were hit by an insurrection a week after Lula defeated Bolsonaro at the polls.
Thousands of Bolsonaro supporters angry over his defeat stormed the government buildings, causing major damage before authorities managed to reimpose control.
Alexandre de Moraes, a powerful Supreme Court justice who has drawn ire from the right, is leading the investigation into the apparent coup attempt, which resembled the storming of the US Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump on January 6, 2021.
Wednesday's incident did not cause any injuries or deaths beyond the apparent attack -- though police had to tread carefully in the aftermath as the body was fitted with explosives and a timer.
Officers on patrol spotted the burning vehicle, from the first explosion, and then saw a man rush out, authorities said.
The Supreme Court said that at the end of a session, two loud explosions were heard, and that judges and staff on site were evacuated.
The G20 summit is set to open on Monday in Rio de Janeiro, bringing together leaders from major world economies. On Wednesday, Lula is set to receive Xi in Brasilia.
