Brazil’s First Lady, Janja Lula da Silva, made headlines after swearing at Tesla CEO Elon Musk during a G20 social event.
In the video that was shared widely, she discussed the need to regulate social media to curb misinformation. While she was speaking, a ship’s horn blared in the background, distracting her, to which she quipped, “I think it’s Elon Musk,” before adding, “I’m not afraid of you, f**k you, Elon Musk.”
The incident, captured on video, quickly went viral as social media users shared the clip widely. Musk responded to one such post on X (formerly Twitter) by saying, “They are going to lose the next election,” referring to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Musk added a series of laughing emojis to underline his point.
Fuck you, Elon Musk,”
says Brazil’s first lady, Janja da Silva, during the G20 Social panel. pic.twitter.com/z99XqiHwnj
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 16, 2024
This is not the first time the tech billionaire has weighed in on global political matters. Recently, Musk predicted the defeat of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the 2025 elections.
Responding to a user who sought his help in removing Trudeau, Musk replied, “He will be gone in the upcoming election.” Musk also targeted Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz, writing “Olaf ist ein Narr,” which translates to “Olaf is a fool,” in response to a post about Germany’s political challenges.
Musk’s tensions with Brazil have been escalating over the past year. The conflict reached a peak when Brazil temporarily banned X in August for non-compliance with local laws.
The platform was accused of failing to remove accounts linked to hate speech and misinformation and not appointing a legal representative in Brazil, a mandatory requirement under the country’s regulations.
He will be gone in the upcoming election
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 7, 2024
Earlier this year, Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered X to adhere to its content moderation rules. Musk pushed back, labeling the directives as censorship and calling Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the judge behind the orders, a “dictator.”
In October, X resumed operations in Brazil after meeting key requirements, including moderating content, blocking certain accounts, and appointing a local legal representative. Despite these concessions, the clash between Musk and Brazil’s political and judicial systems has continued, with social media regulation and misinformation remaining contentious issues.
The First Lady’s bold remarks and Musk’s fiery responses have further fueled debates on the role of social media platforms and their accountability in addressing misinformation globally.
