Brazil Supreme Court evacuated after blasts in capital

Brazil’s Supreme Court has been evacuated and a man has been found dead after two explosions were heard outside the building on Wednesday evening.

The blasts hit the centre of Brazil’s capital – where the Supreme Court, parliament and presidential palace are located.

A spokesperson for the federal police told the AFP news agency that a body had been recovered in front of the court. It is unclear how the man was connected with the blasts.

The country’s solicitor general, Jorge Messias, condemned what he said was a deliberate attack and vowed that a full investigation into the blasts would be launched.

“I strongly condemn the attacks against the Supreme court and the lower house,” he said in a statement posted to X.

“We must know the motivation behind the attacks, and to re-establish peace and safety as fast as possible.”

Images carried by news agencies showed the deceased man lying in an area outside the court, as officers cordoned off the area.

Earlier, the Supreme Court said in a statement that the building had been evacuated as a “precautionary measure” after explosions were heard.

The building is located across the square from the presidential palace, Local media reported that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had left the area shortly before the blasts.