By Mateo Bueno Sá
Brazilian federal deputy André Janones, a vocal ally of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has picked a fight with activists from his own side. In an audio message sent Friday night to a group called "Exército" ("Army"), Janones defended Lula against what he called the "far left" and used a crude phrase that is already provoking reactions: "mamadeira de piroca," vulgar slang that roughly means a penis-shaped baby bottle.
What Janones said about Lula
In the audio, Janones said Lula is "the president most committed to the people." He added that the leader of the Workers' Party (PT) "never, ever, supported or would support any proposal that sacrificed the people who need it most." Then came the line that sums up the tone of the dispute: "everything else is idle talk."
Fake news accusation without names or evidence
On social media, the deputy attacked "far-left activists" without naming anyone. He said the group spreads false information about Lula and the government. He did not detail what those claims are, and he offered no evidence. An accusation with no address, as VDD sees it, leaves voters in the dark and turns any criticism into suspicion.
The split over the fiscal adjustment
The backdrop is the fiscal adjustment package the government sent to the National Congress. Left-wing lawmakers, including members of the PT, have criticized the bill, which has been nicknamed the "Moretti plan." Among the critics is Lindbergh Farias, deputy leader of the PT in the Chamber of Deputies and a representative from Rio de Janeiro state. The discomfort, in other words, is not coming only from the opposition but from inside the governing camp.
Boycott and the fight for likes
Janones also said people in his own camp are asking followers to stop following "Exército," where he posts photos and videos of Lula's trips to Turkey, to the COP31 climate conference and to the Philippines. According to the deputy, these are elected politicians whose votes are tied to Lula and who have turned against the president in search of likes on social media.
In another post, Janones wrote that "18 days after the elections," this group already feels comfortable attacking Lula "in a way that not even the centrão and the press did." The centrão is the bloc of center-right parties in Congress that trades support for influence. He closed with a message: anyone who expects him to stop responding to "the attempt at a new mamadeira de piroca," now "planted by those who call themselves part of our camp," can "wait sitting down."
Why it matters
Lula's government needs votes in Congress to pass its fiscal adjustment, and its base is now divided in public. Janones points to friendly fire, while internal critics of the package keep questioning it. His message could end the crisis or simply widen the divide in the governing camp. The tension is expected to continue.
VDD Analysis
The episode shows a government that needs a noisy troop to shield Lula, while its own camp argues over a fiscal adjustment that reaches into the pockets of those who pay the bill. Trading generic accusations and vulgar nicknames does not answer the central question: how much does this cost taxpayers, and what will actually get done? More spending and more tax collection have never been a solution, and voters deserve a debate on substance, not a war over likes.
