Janja Lula da Silva is the current wife of President Luiz Inacio Lula, who decided to tie the knot in 2022
Brazil’s first lady, Janja Lula da Silva, made headlines over the weekend when she took a jab at Tesla CEO Elon Musk during a pre-G20 social event. The remark, which included an f-bomb, quickly went viral and drew a response from Musk himself.
During her speech at the event on Saturday, Lula da Silva addressed the issue of misinformation on social media. As she spoke, the sound of a ship’s horn interrupted her, leading her to pause and make a joke in Portuguese. “I think it’s Elon Musk,” she said. She then added in English, “I’m not afraid of you, by the way. F–k you, Elon Musk.” The bold comment sparked applause and cheers from the audience.
What did Elon say?
The clip of her statement was shared widely on social media, including X, formerly known as Twitter. Musk responded to the viral moment with laughing emojis and a comment that read, “They will lose the next election.”
This exchange comes after a controversial period for Musk’s platform in Brazil. In September, the Brazilian Supreme Court imposed a temporary ban on X, citing inadequate moderation of misinformation. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who ordered the ban, stated it was necessary to protect national sovereignty and enforce compliance with Brazilian laws. A month later, the ban was lifted after X committed to following the country’s regulations.
In a statement following the reinstatement, X expressed its commitment to freedom of speech within legal boundaries. “Giving tens of millions of Brazilians access to our indispensable platform was paramount throughout this entire process,” the platform said.
The first lady’s comments happened just two days before the G20 summit officially began in Rio de Janeiro. The summit saw global leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, who attended but notably missed the traditional family photo of world leaders. The White House cited “logistical reasons” for Biden’s absence from the photo-op.
Janja Lula da Silva’s outspoken moment underscored ongoing tensions around social media, misinformation, and global influence, while also adding a touch of humor to the pre-G20 event.
