Brazil's outspoken first lady is under fire but refuses to stop speaking out
In early May, the atmosphere of victory was filled with suppers in Beijing, and Brazilian President Luiz Ináciolula da Silva celebrated diplomatic victory: businessmen who traveled with him said they had received billions of dollars in investment as the experienced leader restored his international strengths, the same as his Chinese rival, XI Jin Jinping.
But then Brazil's first lady, Rosângelada Silva, raised her hand.
Although no one would speak, Da Silva addressed Xi Jinping, saying Chinese social media company Tiktok has challenged leftists, claiming that its algorithm favors the right-wing. According to reports, the Chinese president answered her. While serving desserts, the exchange was leaked to the Brazilian media.
Lula's administration is struggling with an unpopular government, which qualifies him as a leader next year. Some analysts, including members of his administration, have been attributed in part to his wife’s over-sense perception of how she once was a ritual role.
Sociologist Janja, 58, has been criticized for insulting tech billionaire Elon Musk, mocking the suicide of pro-jair bolsonaro supporters and giving the president advice on how to use the army in the January 8, 2023 riot in the capital Brasileia. Still, she insists that she speaks out whenever it serves the public good.
A DataFolha poll released on June 12 found that 36% of Brazilians believe that the first lady’s actions hurt the government, while 14% said it was helpful. This is the first step in pollsters’ recognition of the first lady.
The same poll showed that Lula's work was disapproved by 40%, an increase of 8 percentage points from October 2024.
The Brazilian president said in a statement to the Associated Press on June 20 that Da Silva adhered to the guidance of the lawyer’s office, adding that she “acted as a citizen, combining public visibility with the experience she has built throughout her career to support support regarding social issues and matters related to public stake.”
“Inappropriate interference”
According to guidelines published by the Lawyer’s Office, the president’s spouse mainly “plays a symbolic role in a social, cultural, ritual, political or diplomatic nature.” For many of her critics, this does not grant her the power to speak as a representative of the government.
Brazilian media reported that government ministers, lawmakers and staunch leftists raised concerns about the first lady, rather than assets. These concerns have surged since the incident in China – even Lula himself praised his wife for speaking out.
“It seems Brazil is under the jurisdiction of a couple,” said Beatriz Rey, a postdoctoral and research researcher at the University of Lisbon. “When is it time for Brazil to be governed by a couple.” [the first lady] Saying that there is no agreement that silences her, she disrespects our democratic institutions because she has no elected office, no government position. It's not about being a woman or a feminist. This is improper interference. ”
“Now and the sound”
Lula's first wife, Maria de Lourdes, died in 1971. His second Marisa Letícia died in 2017. Lula, 79 years old.
Many supporters of the Lula Workers Party have partially attributed criticism of the First Lady to false information and false information. In May, the party launched the “I and Janja” social media campaign in her defense. However, the week-long effort has received less than 100,000 views, with only a few hundred comments.
“Janja is an asset because she rejuvenates Lula, and everyone in the government knows that the enabler is her critic,” a Brazilian government source told the Associated Press. “No one wants to alienate her. But many important figures of Brasilia, Lula's friends and allies do know that through super hard work, she brought some rejection to the president.”
Sources spoke on anonymous condition because they lacked the mandate to speak publicly about the matter and often traveled with the president and the first lady.
Journalist Adriana Negreiros introduced the First Lady's 2024 podcast “Janja”, who said the presidential allies who criticized her did so with great caution.
“[Janja] Dance, singing, shouting, appearing at official events and meetings with the heads of state. She insisted on being present and voice,” Negureros said, “there is no doubt a lot of sexism and misogyny. But not all criticism is gender discrimination. ”
“She'll say what she wants”
Da Silva said she would not go to dinner “just to accompany” her husband.
“I have common sense. I think I am a smart person. So I know my limitations very well. I am totally aware of that,” she told the Daily Newspaper Folha de S. Paulo.
However, Da Silva did express regret for her 2024 expert use of Musk during the same podcast, once a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Many of Lula's opponents said they wanted the first lady to stay in the spotlight.
“The more she speaks, the more she has a microphone, the more she can help the right wing,” said Nikolas Ferreira, one of Brazil's most popular right-wing lawmakers.
Famous social media figure Ferreira claims that the role of regulating social media is a problem in the Brazilian Congress, rather than a debate between the First Lady and foreign leaders like XI.
Da Silva is also expected to be the keen hostess at the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro from July 6 to 7, and her husband is almost certainly not against it.
“She will be anywhere she wants,” Lula told reporters in March, who criticized the first lady as a criticism of the nutrition summit held in Paris that month. “She would say what she wanted and go wherever she wanted.”
