Brazil. A candidate for councilor wanted to blow up the Supreme Court. The bomb exploded earlier

The bomber who died on Wednesday as a result of an explosion in the capital Braziltried to blow up the building of the Federal Supreme Court, said Judge Alexandre de Moraes.

The incident took place on Wednesday evening in Brasilia's Three Powers Square, where in January 2023, supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro vandalized government buildings, angered by his electoral defeat against current president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Federal District Deputy Governor Celina Leao told a news conference that the attacker tried to enter the Supreme Court building but failed and the explosive he was carrying exploded at the gate, killing him. A moment earlier, there was an explosion in one of the cars parked nearby.

The police determined that the attacker and the owner of the vehicle was 59-year-old Francisco Wanderley Luiz, who previously unsuccessfully ran for councilor for the right-wing Liberal Party (PL), to which Bolsonaro currently belongs. No one else was hurt.

The Director General of the Supreme Court, Andrei Rodrigues, assessed that the main target of the attack was Judge de Moraes. He supervises investigations into the attempt to undermine the election results and the alleged plot by Bolsonaro to attempt a coup and stay in power.

Judge De Moraes said the incident “was not isolated” and – without mentioning Bolsonaro by name – considered the attack an attempt to undermine democracy. Federal Supreme Courtand particularly Judge de Moraes, have been the targets of threats from far-right groups and Bolsonaro supporters in recent years.