Labyrinths of indignation

Brazil’s 2013 mobilisations and their uncertain legacy

Abstract

In June 2013, Brazil witnessed an unprecedented wave of protests. What began in São Paulo as a demonstration against a 20-cent increase in public transportation fares rapidly spread across the country. Initially focused on a specific demand, the protests progressively evolved into a social uprising without clear leadership, shaped by diffuse and often antagonistic slogans. A collective “we” emerged, transcending traditional political frameworks and uniting around a shared sense of discontent and collective indignation. More than ten years after these events, this article examines the labyrinthine configuration of these collective protests and their dilemmas, as well as their sociopolitical impact on contemporary Brazilian public life. Through a hermeneutic-interpretive approach, it explores the mobilization’s diverse dynamics, its multiple symbolic layers, and the contested meanings surrounding collective indignation. Furthermore, it analyzes how the 2013 protests reshaped Brazilian political culture, marking a transition in the public sphere toward more volatile and fragmented structures, characterized by institutional distrust, post-truth narratives, and digital overexposure—fostering an environment conducive to the rise of messianic and right-wing populist movements.