Nandini Roy Choudhury, writer
Brief news
- Starlink, owned by SpaceX, will deactivate social network X in Brazil to maintain its operations and license, after X disobeyed court orders and neglected to pay penalties.
- Brazil’s supreme court prohibited X’s entry into the country due to its failure to suspend accounts posting content detrimental to democratic institutions.
- Starlink’s financial assets were blocked by the court to ensure X pays its penalties, and the court perceived Starlink and X as operating in tandem.
Detailed news
In order to maintain its operations in Brazil without the risk of losing its license, Starlink, the satellite internet service owned and operated by SpaceX, has announced that it will deactivate social network X. Both enterprises are owned by Elon Musk.
After X publicly disobeyed the court’s orders and neglected to pay penalties, Brazil’s supreme court prohibited its entry into the country. X declined to suspend accounts that posted content that the court claimed was detrimental to democratic institutions in Brazil, which is preparing for municipal elections in October.
Starlink’s financial assets in the country were blocked by the supreme court orders to guarantee that X would pay its penalties. Alexandre de Moraes, the nation’s highest-ranking justice, perceived Musk’s two organizations as operating in tandem.
Marcos do Val, a senator, was the subject of a removal request regarding his account. He is currently under investigation for potential involvement in coup conspiracies and sabotage attempts against de Moraes. Additionally, the social network declined to designate a legal representative in the country, which is mandated by federal regulations.
Detractors of De Moraes contend that he has exceeded the proper limits in his efforts to regulate speech on social media platforms and the internet.
As previously reported by CNBC, Starlink has advertised on X, and Musk has actively encouraged users to access the social network through his satellite internet service.
According to SpaceX, Brazil is home to approximately 250,000 Starlink customers. Hughesnet, Viasat, and Telebras are among its competitors in that region.
In reference to its decision and de Moraes, the Starlink account on X issued the subsequent statement:
“To our Brazilian clients (who may be unable to read this due to X being blocked by @alexandre):
The Starlink team is making every effort to ensure that you remain connected. We immediately initiated legal proceedings in the Brazilian Supreme Court to explain the gross illegality of the order and request that the Court unfreeze our assets, following the order from @alexandre last week that froze Starlink’s finances and barred Starlink from conducting financial transactions in Brazil.
We are adhering to the order to restrict access to X in Brazil, despite the unlawful treatment of Starlink in seizing our assets. We are committed to pursuing all legal options, as are other individuals who concur that the recent orders issued by @alexandre are in violation of the Brazilian constitution.
Starlink was threatened with sanctions by the Brazilian telecommunications regulator, Anatel, prior to its agreement to comply with the orders to block X.
For months, a public dispute between Musk and the current administration in Brazil, a significant non-NATO ally of the United States, has been intensifying.
Musk has recently compared de Moraes to movie and book antagonists such as Darth Vader and Voldemort, describing him as a “criminal.” He has repeatedly called for his impeachment, arguing that de Moraes’ orders constitute unlawful censorship.
Musk has expressed his admiration for Jair Bolsonaro, the former President of Brazil, and has pledged to exact revenge on de Moraes and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Musk wrote over the weekend, “We will seek reciprocal seizure of government assets unless the Brazilian government returns the illegally seized property of X and SpaceX.” “I trust that Lula derives pleasure from commercial aviation.”
In April, Musk penned the following: “How did @Alexandre de Moraes become the dictator of Brazil?” He has Lula on a tether.
In an interview with CNN Brazil following the unanimous upholding of the court’s orders by a panel of five justices, Lula expressed his desire that the controversy surrounding the suspension of X in his country would demonstrate to the world that it is not obligated to tolerate Musk’s far-right free-for-all solely because he is wealthy, as reported by The Guardian in a translation from Portuguese to English.
Starlink terminals utilized by illicit miners in the Amazon rainforest were confiscated by Brazil’s environmental authority, Ibama, during Lula’s tenure.
Source : CNBC News
