André Borges / EPA
Police after alleged suicide attack at the Federal Supreme Court of Brasília.
A 59-year-old man died from an explosion in his car, in Brasília, in an alleged suicide attack after trying to enter the Federal Supreme Court of Brasília with explosives.
The Government of the Federal District of Brasília confirmed that the explosions recorded in the heart of Brazil’s capital were a suicide attack of a man who tried to enter the headquarters of the Federal Supreme Court (STF).
The vice-governor of the Federal District, Celina Leão, said that “Tiu França”, as the 59-year-old man was known, tried to enter the Supreme Court with explosives.
Before that, an device exploded in a car in the parking lot between the STF and an annex of the Chamber of Deputies.
Afterwards, he went to the STF and “tried to enter with the devices”, highlighted Celina Leão in a press conference, detailing that the explosion happened at the door of the Supreme Court.
“A Preliminary information is that it was a suicide“, with no other person identified so far, added the deputy governor.
“Tiu França” was from Bolsonaro’s party
Police have already identified the man who died as the owner of the car that exploded. It is about Francisco Wanderley Luizmember of the Liberal Party which is led by the former President of Brazil.
The 59-year-old was best known for “Tiu France”the name with which he became famous on social media and with which ran in the state elections in Rio do Sul in 2020, without having managed to be elected.
He wore clothes alluding to Joker
At the time of the attack in Brasília, he would have been wearing clothes printed with the suits of a deck of cards on a dark green background, in a possible allusion to the character Joker from the DC Comics comic strip, as the newspaper says.
Before the explosions, “Tiu França” made several posts on social media announce that he was going to start “a revolution” and challenging the Federal Police to find the alleged bombs which he would have placed in the homes of figures such as Geraldo Alckmin (vice-president of Lula da Silva’s government), William Boner (TV Globo journalist) and the former presidents of Brazil Fernando Henrique Cardoso and José Sarney.
Used terms like “communists” and “disgusting old men” to refer to these personalities, as found by Rádio Amanda FM, which had access to the publications.
He also mentioned receiving extraterrestrial “revelations” and threatened STF ministers, leaders of the Senate and Chamber, asking for Lula da Silva and Bolsonaro to be removed from politics.
“I don’t like the number 13. It smells like carrion like a dog when it dies”, Tiu França also wrote on social media, as quoted by the Brazilian press. The attack occurred precisely on November 13th.
At the moment, worked as a locksmith.
Praça dos Três Poderes isolated
Tiu França also tried to throw explosives at the statue of Justice in front of the Supreme Court before dying in the explosion in his car.
A Square of the Three Powerswhich houses the headquarters of the Supreme Court, Congress and the Presidency, was isolated and will remain closed until security is guaranteed at the location.
At the time of the explosions, plenary sessions were taking place in the House and Senate. But Lula da Silva, president of Brazil, was no longer at the Palácio do Planalto when the explosions were felt.
To date, the Brazilian Federal Government has not yet reacted to the incident.
Sessions in the Chamber of Deputies are suspended until noon on Thursday and those in the Senate for the entire day.
On January 8, 2023, thousands of radicals attacked the STF buildingalong with the Palácio do Planalto and the Congress building.
The attack is being treated by Brazilian justice as a coup attempt against the Brazilian President, taking place eight days after his inauguration as head of state, after defeating Bolsonaro in the presidential elections.
