Brazilian Government’s Far-Left War on Free Speech Goes Nuclear, Bans X and Starlink
Brazil’s Alexandre de Moraes’ overreach has gone nuclear.
The far-left judicial El Jefe is freezing Starlink’s finances, preventing the Elon Musk-owned company from doing further business in the country.
Starlink used its X account to break the news early Friday, stating that the “order is based on an unfounded determination that Starlink should be responsible for the fines levied — unconstitutionally — against X.”
Worse, the order “was issued in secret and without affording Starlink any of the due process.”
The vindictive leftwing lawfare will hurt the off-grid internet provider’s customers “from the Amazon to Rio de Janeiro.”
This, Starlink said, will hit “small businesses, schools, and first responders.”
Starlink donated 1,000 kits to Brazil’s emergency services in May and provided free internet capabilities during severe flooding in its Southern states.
Fighting Back
Defying the overt overreach, the company later announced legal action, saying the politically motivated order “violates Brazil’s constitution.”
Just as resolute, Elon Musk took to X to criticise “Dictator” de Moraes.
First describing him as a “criminal wearing judge’s robes like a Halloween costume.”
Then calling the leftwing judge, “an evil dictator cosplaying as a judge.”
To this, Musk added, “SpaceX and X are two completely different companies […] this absolutely illegal action by De Moraes improperly punishes other shareholders and the people of Brazil.”
SpaceX and X are two completely different companies with different shareholders. I own about 40% of SpaceX, so this absolutely illegal action by the dictator @alexandre improperly punishes other shareholders and the people of Brazil. https://t.co/zIzcT0BTJl
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 29, 2024
The actions against Starlink appear to be in retaliation for Musk’s reluctance to line up, fall in, and goose-step in unison.
So far, Musk has refused to comply with the Brazilian far-left government’s ongoing attack on classic liberal freedoms.
For instance, on 18 August, De Moraes threatened X’s staff in Brazil with arrest.
The reason?
X refuses to censor on demand.
According to a helpful, detailed exposition published by Christian Caruzo on Breitbart, Musk defied De Moraes in April, even though he faced “daily fines of $19,700 per account X refused to censor.”
Musk eventually complied, and as with all policies of appeasement, more was soon demanded.
Making the secret requests for censorship public, X said that De Moraes wanted to shut down “a pastor, a current Parliamentarian, and the wife of a former Parliamentarian.”
X refused, and then De Moraes doubled down.
Mid-August he issued a secret order “threatening the social media’s Brazilian staff with arrest.”
The company responded by closing X’s office in Brazil, stating, “To protect the safety of our staff, we have made the decision to close our operation in Brazil, effective immediately.”
At the time, X said, “They were forced to make the decision, and, at least for now, their service remains available.”
Condemning De Moraes, the press release added, “His actions are incompatible with democratic government. The people of Brazil have a choice to make – democracy, or Alexandre de Moraes.”
Lawfare
Retaliating, De Moraes slapped Musk with a summons on the 28th of August.
He was given 24 hours to appoint a legal representative who could act as his proxy or face further fines, and punitive action.
The one-page subpoena stamped by De Moraes approved posting the summons on X, which contained demands to pay up, or pay with the “immediate suspension of the ‘X’ social network.”
➡️ @STF_oficial intima Elon Musk e X a indicarem representante legal em até 24 horas, sob pena de suspensão de atividades no Brasil ⚖️ https://t.co/SV21xQcJue
— STF (@STF_oficial) August 28, 2024
Banning X appears to be exactly what De Moraes has now done.
In sum, the back-and-forth is an escalation of De Moraes’ weaponised assault on Elon Musk for his support of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Brazil’s current government are accusing Musk of stoking political unrest – up to dissent, and “insurrection.”
Specific charges against Musk include “practising the obstruction of justice, criminal organisation, and incitement to crime.”
With France’s arrest of Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov on similar grounds, could Elon Musk be next?
Probably, if Musk ever landed in Brasilia, or Rio under De Moraes’ vulturesque watch.
Tucker Carlson recently said as much.
He asked former Trump official Mike Benz directly: “Will they take out Elon Musk?”
Benz replied, “It’s a complicated issue because Elon is very unique.”
The strategy on this – apart from prosecutions – is to threaten income through advertisers, in order to coerce compliance with “approved narratives”.
Whether media or social media, “killing revenue” is the first go-to.
To counter this, Musk shifted to subscriptions.
He’s not as cancellable or as easily controlled as other social media billionaires, Benz explained.
Musk is vulnerable because his platform is so broad. There are a lot of areas where a weaponised judiciary, run by authoritarian bureaucrats, can apply a lot of pressure.
Such as Space X, and Tesla.
The greater threat to Musk, Benz concluded, is EU censorship of WMD, “The Digital Services Act”, and its demands for “disinformation compliance.”
“This will force Elon to rehire all of the fired censors, and it will force him to restaff the censorship apparatus.”
For example, the fine for Musk’s current alleged non-compliance with the EU’s DSA is 6% of global revenue.
If he doesn’t comply with the demands of EU-appointed “fact-checkers”, it will cost him, and X shareholders.
On top of a massive financial hit, Musk could “lose X’s participation all over the EU.
“If X is kicked out of the EU, they are no longer a global platform.”
The threat to Musk, Benz concluded, is “existential.”
This translates as “major leverage over Elon. It’s unlikely US authorities will stop” the Fasco-Communist censorship Czars.
This is because, Benz said, the current regime is “in on it”.
Watch or listen to the 14-minute segment here:
Was the Biden administration involved in the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov? Mike Benz explains.
(1:20) Who Was Involved in Pavel Durov’s Arrest?
(15:50) How Telegram Is Used by the CIA
(27:22) Domestic Policy Doesn’t Exist
(34:19) The Redefining of Democracy
(39:21) The… pic.twitter.com/cmgWWCIIpw— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) August 28, 2024
___
Republished with thanks to Caldron Pool. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
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Terrible killing of freedom of speech. We are now in a Dark Age like we have never experienced before on such a global scale . I am not a great fan of Trump , but, look at how they are using the courts as a weapon to prevent him standing for election . Bill Clinton was involved in a sleazy, sex scandal, but, today he is treated with respect as if it never happened in the Oval Office. Double standards. The Democrats will use any methods to win the US election.