MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“F**k you,” Brazilian First Lady tells Elon Musk

Lula's wife was angered by the horn of a passing ship

During a G20 social event this past weekend, Brazilian First Lady Janja da Silva cursed against billionaire Elon Musk in an outburst that made waves ahead of the world's leader's Summit starting Monday in Rio de Janeiro. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's wife was speaking through a microphone to an audience when a ship horn nearby interrupted her: “It’s Elon Musk,” she said. “I’m not afraid of you, f**k you, Elon Musk,” she added.

The South African-born tycoon who is expected to play a key role in the US incoming administration of Republican President Donald Trump replied on social media: “They are going to lose the next election,” he claimed about Lula's Workers' Party (PT) and its ruling coalition.

Lula has long criticized Musk’s social platform X (formerly known as “Twitter”) for its no-censorship policies: “We cannot allow any platform to undermine democracy and the rights of our citizens,” the three-time Brazilian head of State stressed.

Last month, Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Alexandre De Moraes authorized X's reinstatement in the South American country after blocking it on Aug. 30 due to a dispute over free speech involving the magistrate's ban on certain accounts spreading what was deemed as misinformation and fake news with which the network initially failed to comply.

Musk, who was heavily fined for his defiant attitude, called De Moraes an authoritarian and a censor. Lula stressed that it was inadmissible that any company wishing to operate in the country would feel entitled to disregard a court order.

In this scenario, Brazil's First Lady defended the need to regulate social networks during an improvised panel on disinformation.

After she targeted Musk, former President Jair Bolsonaro wrote on X that “we already have another diplomatic problem” ahead, given the businessman's future status as the official in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to be created.

“If Brazil suffers sanctions by the United States on account of those irresponsible and absolutely gratuitous statements, what is going to happen? He is insulting a U.S. minister of state - what about promoting incitement to hatred?” Bolsonaro's lawyer Fabio Wajngarten also commented.