Elon Musk Criticizes Brazilian Judge Over X Social Media Suspension Order
In a heated response, Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), lashed out at a Brazilian Supreme Court judge who ordered the suspension of X in Brazil. Musk labeled the judge, Alexandre de Moraes, as an “evil dictator cosplaying as a judge” and accused him of attempting to undermine democracy in the country.
The conflict between Musk and Moraes has been ongoing for months, centering around issues of disinformation in Brazil. Moraes, who has been leading efforts to combat misinformation, ordered the suspension of X after Musk failed to appoint a new legal representative for the platform in Brazil.
Musk, a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist,” has often been criticized for allowing right-wing conspiracy theories to flourish on X since he took over the platform in 2022. In response to the suspension order, Musk argued that free speech is fundamental to democracy and accused Moraes of using his position for political purposes.
The suspension order directed Brazil’s national communications agency to halt X’s operations within 24 hours and instructed tech giants like Google and Apple to prevent access to the X app. The platform, which has over 22 million users in Brazil, faces severe restrictions, with users threatened with fines if they attempt to bypass the block using tools like VPNs.
Musk’s battle with Brazilian authorities began when Moraes suspended several X accounts linked to supporters of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who is under investigation for allegedly trying to discredit Brazil’s electoral process and possibly plotting a coup. The conflict escalated when Moraes launched an investigation into Musk for reactivating some of these banned accounts.
Adding to Musk’s challenges, his satellite internet company, Starlink, also came under fire when Moraes froze its accounts, preventing financial transactions in Brazil. Starlink claimed that this action was unjustified and unconstitutional.
The situation highlights the growing tension between Musk and Brazilian authorities, as Musk continues to challenge judicial decisions that he views as censorship. Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasized that anyone with investments in Brazil must adhere to the country’s laws and constitution.