Brazilian First Lady, Janja da Silva, took aim at X CEO Elon Musk on Saturday, 18, during a G20-related event addressing misinformation. The parallel talks, part of the G20 summit taking place on November 18-19 in Rio de Janeiro, witnessed an unexpected outburst from Janja.
At the end of a panel discussion, Janja requested the microphone to emphasize the challenges of passing laws to regulate social media platforms. She claimed these platforms contribute to spreading fake news, exacerbating climate-related disasters.
But then, seemingly out of nowhere, she bent over, distracted by a sound in the room, interrupted her own speech, and exclaimed: “I think it’s Elon Musk. I’m not afraid of you. In fact, f*** you, Elon Musk,” said Janja.
Watch the moment:
Musk wasted no time responding on X, posting a quick “lol,” signaling his amusement. Moments later, in a reply to another post, the billionaire bluntly predicted that “they,” referring to Lula da Silva’s socialist government, “will lose the next election.”
Hours after Janja’s outburst, President Lula da Silva tried to do damage control, stating, “We don’t have to offend anyone,” a clear attempt to walk back his wife’s comments.
The First Lady’s remarks reportedly infuriated Brazilian diplomats close to Lula’s administration. According to O Estado de S. Paulo, these officials had been working behind the scenes to arrange a phone call between Lula and President-elect Donald Trump. Janja’s outburst, they fear, has made an already difficult diplomatic situation worse.
Adding to the tension is Brazil’s concern over potential backlash from Trump’s administration, especially with the appointment of Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. Rubio’s staunch opposition to communist regimes in Cuba and Venezuela—close allies of Lula’s socialist government—has set off alarm bells in Brazil’s foreign ministry.
Janja’s inflammatory comments also complicate relations with Elon Musk, who is set to occupy a prominent role as head of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Brazilian authorities fear that Musk’s influence could lead to retaliatory measures against Brazil, further complicating relations between the two nations.
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