Brazil's Supreme Court targets Musk's Starlink in censorship battle
Justice de Moraes ordered an asset freeze of Starlink Holding amid ongoing conflict with the X platform.
In an escalation of the conflict between Brazil and Elon Musk, the country's Supreme Court has ordered the freezing of financial assets belonging to Starlink Holding, a subsidiary of Musk's SpaceX. This action comes as a response to another Musk-owned company, X, refusing to censor posts and appoint a legal representative in Brazil.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, a controversial figure on Brazil's Supreme Court, who many on social media have compared to Harry Potter's Voldemort, issued the order on August 18.
Alexandre de Voldemort 🇧🇷
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) August 29, 2024
pic.twitter.com/Y4N8DCbzcF
The decision aims to secure payment of penalties levied against X by Brazilian courts. This move follows X's closure of its Brazilian office on August 17, citing disagreements with the Supreme Court's fines and content censorship mandates.
The dispute intensified when Justice de Moraes gave X a 24-hour ultimatum to appoint a legal representative or face service suspension in Brazil. This demand came after X announced the closure of its office to protect employees and withdrew its representative. De Moraes has also threatened to have Elon Musk arrested for undermining him.
Starlink, which provides crucial satellite internet services in Brazil, particularly in the Amazon region, now finds itself caught in the crossfire. The company's leadership in Brazil has been summoned to respond to the financial obligations imposed on X by the Brazilian judiciary.
The importance of Starlink in Brazil extends beyond this legal dispute. The service plays a vital role in enhancing connectivity in remote areas, supporting education, digital commerce, and disaster response efforts. It also aids in environmental monitoring in the Amazon, facilitating efforts against illegal deforestation and wildlife trafficking.
The fact that de Moraes is willing to scuttle Starlink's efforts at helping rural Brazilians is a clear sign that the judge's battle with Musk has become a personal matter.
For his part, Musk has rejected de Moraes' demands and referred to him as the "dictator of Brazil" — an unelected, de facto tyrant.
The tyrant, @Alexandre, is dictator of Brazil. Lula is his lapdog. https://t.co/svONz3iv5S
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 29, 2024
- By David Menzies
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