"Perdeu, Mané": o 8 de janeiro como acontecimento discursivo e a crise da justiça no Brasil

Abstract

This article analyzes the inscription "Perdeu, Mané" ("You Lost, Mané") on the statue of Justice at Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) as a symptom of the discursive and institutional crisis that culminated in the January 8, 2023 attacks, when protesters invaded the buildings of the Three Branches of Government in Brasília. Drawing on Discourse Analysis as theorized by Michel Pêcheux and Eni Orlandi, the study demonstrates how the event reflects deeper historical and material tensions, including post-pandemic inequality, political polarization, and the erosion of trust in the Judiciary. Originally an internet meme mocking former President Jair Bolsonaro, the phrase "Perdeu, Mané" was repurposed as an attack on the STF, subverting its traditional usage—where "Mané" derides someone as gullible—to instead target the Court as an institution. This act exposes perceived judicial bias, connecting it to earlier critiques (e.g., Operation Car Wash, the 2016 impeachment). The choice to vandalize the statue of Justice symbolizes a rejection of judicial neutrality, recasting it as a site of political conflict. The article underscores the material underpinnings of this crisis, including economic instability and elite resistance to redistributive reforms. The meme’s migration from Bolsonaro to the STF illustrates the hybridization of political resistance, blending digital culture with institutional critique. Ultimately, January 8th reveals the fragility of democratic consensus, where institutions are no longer viewed as impartial arbiters but as partisan players. The study argues that democracy functions as a battleground of political and discursive struggles, where language itself becomes a tool of power and legitimation.