In a dramatic moment during a G20 event this past weekend, Brazil’s first lady, Janja Lula da Silva, made headlines after swearing at billionaire Elon Musk while discussing the need to regulate social media platforms to combat misinformation.

Speaking at a gathering ahead of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, where leaders from the world’s largest economies were preparing to meet, Janja addressed the issue of misinformation spreading across social media. 

As she spoke, a ship’s horn blared in the background, prompting her to joke, “I think it’s Elon Musk.” She then turned to the camera and, in an uncharacteristic move, added, “I’m not afraid of you, f**k you, Elon Musk.”

Her remarks quickly went viral, with Musk himself responding to the incident on X (formerly Twitter). The Tesla CEO shared a video of the exchange along with a laughing emoji. He followed up with another post, stating, “They are going to lose the next election,” a comment that appeared to be a reference to the upcoming Brazilian elections.

The heated exchange stems from Musk’s controversial role as the owner of X, a platform that has been at the center of ongoing debates about the regulation of social media. 

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Earlier this year, the platform faced significant legal challenges in Brazil, including a month-long suspension, after Musk’s company failed to comply with local laws. 

These laws required X to appoint a legal representative in the country and adhere to court orders to block accounts accused of spreading misinformation and hate speech. 

X was later allowed to resume operations in Brazil after reversing its stance and agreeing to follow the court’s mandates.

The back-and-forth between Musk and Brazilian authorities is just one example of a growing tension between Musk’s vision of free speech on social media and governments around the world that are working to curb online misinformation.

Countries like Australia and the United Kingdom have similarly clashed with Musk over his handling of X, with officials in these nations pushing for stricter oversight to protect citizens from harmful or misleading content online.

Earlier this year, Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, also voiced criticism of Musk, stating that businesses operating in the country must abide by local laws and that the world shouldn’t have to tolerate Musk’s “far-right ideology” simply because of his wealth.