Additional Coverage:
- As Elon Musk’s battle with the Brazilian government intensifies, another of his companies is facing trouble (newsbreak.com)
The feud between Elon Musk and the Brazilian government continues to intensify, with tensions escalating over content on the social media platform, X. Recently, Reuters disclosed that Brazil’s telecom regulator, Anatel, might impose sanctions on Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink. Notably, X is already banned in Brazil, which is one of its major markets.
The conflict escalated further this weekend following the country’s decision to block X, attributing to Musk’s failure to appoint a legal representative, ignore content moderation mandates, and settle fines exceeding $3 million. On Monday, the situation heated up as Anatel considered punitive measures against Starlink that could include revoking its operational license in Brazil.
Adding to the controversy, over the weekend, Musk lashed out at Brazilian Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes, labelling him an “evil dictator cosplaying as a judge” and accusing him, without proof, of meddling in Brazil’s recent presidential election outcome.
At the heart of the dispute is Starlink, which, after having several bank accounts frozen by the Brazilian government, informed Anatel it would not comply with any court orders restricting access to X until its accounts were unfrozen. In response, Anatel is now contemplating sanctions against Starlink.
Amidst this ongoing saga, a panel of Brazilian Supreme Court justices upheld de Moraes’ decision, reinforcing the judiciary’s stance, while X’s owner Musk continued his verbal onslaught online and hinted at taking retaliatory actions against the Brazilian government.
The entire showdown has increased VPN usage in Brazil, as citizens seek access to the blocked X, with potential fines looming for those using such workarounds.
For Starlink, which has significantly expanded its operations in Brazil over the past two years, this confrontation represents a significant threat. The company, operational since 2019, provides internet access to over a quarter million Brazilian customers, ranging from the Amazon to Rio de Janeiro, and has been under scrutiny for its involvement in various international disputes.
As this standoff reaches a boiling point, the future of Musk’s business ventures in Brazil hangs in the balance, especially given the stringent opposition from the Brazilian authorities concerning the platform’s content policies.