American businessman Elon Musk commented this Saturday (16) on the offensive statement that the Brazilian first lady, Janja Silva, made against him during a G20 Social panel. “They are going to lose the next election,” said Musk, when responding on X to a video recording the sociologist’s speech.
Janja defended the regulation of social networks to combat misinformation when his speech was interrupted by the sound signal of a ship passing close to the event site, in the port region of Rio. “It must be Elon Musk”, he said, in a tone of irony , and then use the vulgar expression “Fuck you, Elon Musk”.
Opposition politicians also took to social media to repudiate the first lady’s disrespectful attitude. Former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) posted a print of Musk’s response and stated that “we have yet another diplomatic problem”.
Federal deputy Marcel van Hatten (Novo-RS) said that he filed with the Chamber’s Foreign Relations and National Defense Committee a request to summon Chancellor Mauro Vieira. According to him, the minister must provide clarifications on “the diplomatic impacts of Janja’s ‘classy’ and irresponsible statement”.
Senator Damares Alves (Republicanos-DF) defined the sociologist’s attitude as “unacceptable, unbelievable and shameful”. “Does Itamaraty still not understand that the current first lady of Brazil does not have any intellectual condition or posture to participate in international events?”, he said.
Nikolas Ferreira, federal deputy for PL of Minas Gerais, published, in English, the following message: “Janja da Silva, Lula’s wife, just said ‘F*, Elon Musk, during the G20 social panel. This is the ‘tolerant’ left.”
Senator Sergio Moro (União-PR) cited Musk’s response and said that “the phrase of the day was said in English”.
For Carla Zambelli, federal deputy for the PL of São Paulo, “this low, uneducated and completely unnecessary stance not only tarnishes Brazil’s image, but can also compromise important diplomatic relations with the greatest world power”.
Federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP) said that “Before it was ‘just’ Musk against Him [o ministro do STF Alexandre Moraes]. Now it’s Trump and Musk against Him and the Uncondemned [Lula]”.
According to the website MetropolisesBrazilian ministers and diplomats criticized, behind the scenes, Janja Silva’s attack against Elon Musk, who was one of Donald Trump’s main allies in the American presidential race and will take up a position in the US government.
Some top government officials agreed that the first lady had “stepped over the line” this time. Members of Itamaraty stated that the speech was “unnecessary” and could harm the already frayed relationship between Lula and Donald Trump.
