A MAN who failed in an attempt to break into Brazil’s Supreme Court killed himself on Wednesday in explosions outside the building that forced judges and staff to evacuate.

The two strong blasts took place after the day’s session had finished and all the judges and staff left the building safely, the court said in a statement.

Firefighters confirmed that one man had died at the scene in the capital Brasilia, but they did not identify him.

Celina Leao, lieutenant governor of Brazil’s federal district, said the suspect had earlier detonated explosives in a car in a Congress parking lot, but they caused no injuries.

“His first action was to explode the car. Then he approached the Supreme Court and tried to get in the building. He failed and then there were the other explosions,” she told a news conference.

Local media reported that the car that exploded belonged to a member of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party. 

Ms Leao said: “It could have been a lone wolf, like others we’ve seen around the world. 

“We are considering it as a suicide because there was only one victim. But investigations will show if that was indeed the case.”

Brazil’s federal police did not suggest a motive but said officers were investigating the blasts.

President Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva was not in the nearby presidential palace at the time, spokesman Jose Chrispiniano said.

In recent year, the Supreme Court has become a target for threats from far-right groups and supporters of Mr Bolsonaro, due to it cracking down on the spread of false information. Justice Alexandre de Moraes has been a particular focus for their anger.

A spokesman for Lula said that the president had held a meeting at his residence on Wednesday night to review the situation with federal police chief Andrei Rodrigues and Supreme Court judges Mr de Moraes and Cristiano Zanin.