G20 Summit
Brazil’s First Lady, Rosângela “Janja” da Silva, made headlines on Saturday when she criticized Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and owner of the social media platform X.
Her remarks came during an event ahead of the G20 summit, where she advocated for stricter regulation of social media platforms.
While speaking on a panel addressing disinformation, a sudden loud noise startled Janja. Reacting to the sound, she quipped, “I think it’s Elon Musk,” before adding, “I’m not afraid of you.” Her statement quickly went viral, with a video of the moment circulating widely on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The comment drew a swift response from Musk, who posted on X, “They are going to lose the next election,” accompanied by two laughing emojis.
His retort highlighted the tension between Musk and Brazil’s current government, particularly given the country’s recent controversies over social media regulation.
Brazil’s Supreme Court earlier this year suspended X for 40 days as part of an ongoing legal battle over the platform’s role in spreading disinformation.
The decision was supported by Brazil’s leftist President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who viewed it as a necessary step to combat false narratives online. However, Musk, an outspoken critic of censorship, has opposed such measures.
Adding to the political complexity is Musk’s close association with Brazil’s former far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro.
Musk has been a vocal ally of Bolsonaro, who has signaled his intention to run in the 2026 presidential election despite being disqualified from holding office after his conviction for undermining Brazil’s electoral system.
Bolsonaro, seizing on the controversy, shared a screenshot of the First Lady’s remarks on X. He captioned it, “We now have another diplomatic problem,” potentially stoking further political tensions.
The remarks and their aftermath have cast a spotlight on the strained relationship between Brazil’s current leadership and Musk, underscoring the growing global debate over the regulation of social media platforms.
The G20 summit, set to take place in Rio de Janeiro on Monday and Tuesday, adds further significance to this unfolding diplomatic drama.
