Elon Musk fires back after Brazil’s First Lady insults him during G20 Speech: ‘Going to lose…’
During the G20 social event this past weekend, Brazil’s First Lady, Janja Lula da Silva, didn’t mince words when addressing billionaire Elon Musk.
SpaceX CEO recently appointed to lead Trump’s new DOGE initiative alongside Vivek Ramaswamy faced sharp criticism after his social media platform, X, was suspended in Brazil for a month this year over failure to name a legal representative and ignoring court orders to block accounts spreading fake news and hate speech.
Brazil’s First Lady mocks Elon Musk
During her speech on the importance of regulating social media to curb misinformation, the wife of Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Janja Lula da Silva made a pointed remark after a ship’s horn blared in the background, quipping, “I think it’s Elon Musk.” She then added, “I’m not afraid of you, f*** you, Elon Musk,” drawing both laughter and gasps from the audience. (Reuters report)
Tensions between the Brazilian government and Elon Musk grabbed headlines earlier this year when Brazil’s Supreme Court blocked access to Musk’s platform, X. The strain between them intensified last year when First Lady Janja threatened to sue the social media giant after her account was reportedly hacked, accusing Musk of not responding adequately.
In August, Musk’s platform, X, failed to adhere to local regulations by not blocking accounts accused of spreading “fake news” and hate speech. The company had also closed all its Brazil offices, citing “censorship” by a judge, although the service remained accessible to users in the country. The ban was lifted in October.
Elon Musk responds
Musk, never one to shy away from public confrontations, quickly responded on his social media platform, X, posting a laughing emoji and later suggesting that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s camp would lose the upcoming election. Taking to his social media handle, he wrote, “They are going to lose the next election.”
A spokesperson of Lula later clarified, “We don’t have to offend or curse anyone,” according to scmp.
Meanwhile, The G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro this week focused on tackling world hunger, climate change, and reforming global governance. Brazil, along with countries like Ghana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Chile, Indonesia, and the Dominican Republic presented their plans. Key donors include Germany, France, the UK, Norway, Spain, the EU, and international organizations like the World Bank and FAO.