Allegation is “unfounded and untrue”, says Valéria; case documents were released by US congressmen
Brazilian linguist Valéria Chomsky, married to another linguist, denied that her husband was between the president (PT) and the American financier (1953-2019). The statement was made on Saturday (Nov 15, 2025), after the release of documents by the United States Congress containing Epstein’s emails that mentioned a .
“As Noam Chomsky’s wife, I participated with him in the visit, on September 20, 2018, to President Lula in prison. I clarify that we had to leave our cell phones at the reception and we were searched by the Federal Police before starting the visit. Any allegation that there had been a phone call, during the visit or on any other occasion, between President Lula and any interlocutor –mediated by Noam Chomsky– is unfounded and untrue”declared Valéria to CNN Brazil.
The issue arose when documents released by the United States Congress revealed a message sent by Epstein on September 21, 2018. In the email, whose recipient was omitted in the documents, the financier wrote: “Chomsky called me with Lula. From prison. What a world”. The message is part of a set of documents from the Epstein case released by Republican congressmen on Wednesday (12.Nov.2025).
Epstein was accused of sex trafficking, sexual exploitation and abuse of minors. He made a deal to serve 13 months in prison and registered as a sex offender. In 2019, he was found dead in prison. The police declared it a suicide. Epstein was close to United States President Donald Trump.
The day before, Lula actually received a visit from Chomsky. From the message, however, it is not possible to confirm whether, according to Epstein, he and Lula spoke directly. Read the message exchange (PDF – 56 kB).
Valéria Chomsky acted as an interpreter in the conversation between her husband, who is North American, and Lula. She said security procedures at the prison included cellphones being handed over to reception and searched by federal agents.
The Palácio do Planalto also commented on the case on Friday (Nov 14). The Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic stated in a note to the media that the information does not proceed: “The aforementioned phone call never happened”.
In the email exchange, Epstein’s interlocutor responded to the message with a comment, apparently about the Brazilian presidential election, which would take place the month after the conversation. “Tell him that my boy will win the election in the 1st round”he stated.
Epstein says that, the day before (September 20, 2018), “a message from Lula to the Workers’ Party about the organization’s militancy was revealed”. On the day he visited Lula, Chomsky gave an interview to journalists, in which he stated that people and social movements were truly responsible for changing the country’s future.
Then, in another message, in reference to the president elected that year, (PL), Epstein wrote: “Bolsonaro [sic] He’s the guy.”
THE EPSTEIN CASE
Epstein was a financier accused of sex trafficking, exploitation and sexual abuse of minors. He was detained in July 2019, but in prison pending trial. In July, the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation released a memo stating that Epstein committed suicide in 2019.
The case came to light recently when the American newspaper revealed a birthday album for Epstein that included a drawing whose authorship was attributed to the president (Republican Party) with the phrase “Happy birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret”. Trump made the drawing.
Since then, the Trump administration has faced pressure for more transparency about the case involving the billionaire.
On Wednesday (Nov 12), congressional Democrats released Epstein’s emails, saying they showed Trump’s view of Epstein’s conduct and crimes. Republican lawmakers then released more than 20,000 pages of documents, including emails and other messages.
In a publication on the Truth Social network, Trump stated that Democrats were bringing up the issue to divert attention from the shutdown from the North American government, late Wednesday night (12.Nov).
