Brazil Supreme Court grants semi-open regime to 'lipstick vandal'
Justice Alexandre de Moraes authorized Débora Rodrigues dos Santos, who defaced a landmark statue during the Jan. 8 riots, to transition to a semi-open regime.
BRASÍLIA — Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has authorized a transition to a semi-open prison regime for Débora Rodrigues dos Santos, a high-profile figure from the January 8, 2023, riots in Brasília. Rodrigues became widely known in Brazil as the "lipstick vandal" ("Débora do Batom") after she was photographed writing the phrase "perdeu, mané" (you lost, fool) with red lipstick on the iconic "Justice" statue. The granite monument, sculpted by Alfredo Ceschiatti, sits directly in front of the Supreme Court building.
The decision, signed on October 2, 2026, and made public on October 6, highlights the gradual progression of sentences for those convicted in connection with the riots. Rodrigues was sentenced by the court's First Turma in 2025 to 14 years in prison. Her charges included the violent attempt to abolish the democratic rule of law, coup d'état, and damage to historical heritage. Under Brazilian law, prisoners can transition to progressively lighter custody regimes once they meet specific time-served and behavioral requirements.
In his ruling, Justice Moraes credited Rodrigues with 212 days of sentence reduction. This credit was earned through work completed while in custody, reading the book "Ouça a sua voz" (Listen to Your Voice), and passing the national high school equivalency exam (ENEM PPL) in 2023. Because Rodrigues has been under monitored home arrest with an ankle bracelet since March 2025 to care for her underage child, Moraes ruled she will remain in home confinement, which is currently more favorable than the local facilities available for a standard semi-open regime.
The progression of Rodrigues's sentence comes amid intense political pressure on the Supreme Court regarding the severity of the January 8 sentences. The phrase she wrote on the statue—"perdeu, mané"—was a direct reference to a remark made by Chief Justice Luís Roberto Barroso in 2022 when confronted by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro in New York. While right-wing lawmakers continue to push for a broad amnesty bill in Congress for the rioters, the Supreme Court has maintained its systematic prosecution of the participants, using individual sentence progressions to demonstrate that the legal system is running its standard course.