The Supreme Court of Brazil, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, and the sculpture of Lady Justice by Alfredo Ceschiatti, in the Three Powers Square in Brasilia, Brazil. (Dreamtime/TNS)

(Tribune News Service) — One person died in an explosion Wednesday evening outside Brazil’s Supreme Court in the capital Brasilia, forcing officials and staff to evacuate the building.

A man tried to enter the Supreme Court building with explosives attached to his body, according to the preliminary investigation. Federal District military police spokesman Major Raphael van der Broocke told reporters that a man had “exterminated himself,” without identifying him.

“We still cannot say that it was a lone wolf, investigations are still ongoing,” said the acting governor of Brazil’s Federal District, Celina Leão, who described the event as a suicide , stressing that the investigations were still preliminary.

According to local authorities, the man’s death followed a car explosion at 7:30 p.m. local time.

The judges were safely evacuated from the court building, the top court said in a statement. Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco said the voting session was closed early for security reasons. This is also why Congressional security was increased and Pacheco left the building through the garage.

Praça dos Três Poderes, the main access square to the Supreme Court, Congress and the presidential palace, has already been closed by local authorities. Security in public buildings has been strengthened, Leão added. Congressional sessions are canceled tomorrow, according to the lower house.

Early last year, Brasilia’s main government buildings were invaded by thousands of supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who ransacked Congress and ransacked the presidential palace and the Supreme Court.

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