Explosion outside Brazil Supreme Court leads to evacuation, 1 dead: officials

At least one explosion outside Brazil’s Supreme Court 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 artifact 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 7:30 p.m. local time, shortly after Wednesday’s session finished. Jorge Macedo, a staffer at Brazil’s top court, confirmed the evacuation to The Associated Press.

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

Get daily National news

Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you'll never miss the day's top stories.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Get Started

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

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 polarization.

1:52 Brazil shuts down access to Elon Musk’s X

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

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

The presidential security bureau was conducting a sweep of the grounds around the presidential palace, local press reported.

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

2:15 Over 1,200 arrested after pro-Bolsonaro riot at Brazil’s Congress