Brazil’s President Warns X of Block, Demands Musk Follow Laws

An ongoing feud between Brazil’s Supreme Court and Elon Musk has brought social media platform X to the brink of being blocked in the country. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva demanded that the billionaire comply with local laws. As of Friday morning, X was still operating normally in Brazil, but the platform indicated on Thursday that it expected Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes to order a shutdown soon. This expectation followed a court-imposed deadline for the company to identify a legal representative in Brazil.

Lula Demands Compliance with Local Laws

President Lula stressed that every investor in Brazil, regardless of wealth, must adhere to the country’s constitution and laws. “Just because a guy has a lot of money doesn’t mean he can disrespect the law,” Lula said in a local radio interview on Friday. Musk, in a post on X, had earlier criticized Lula as Moraes’ “lapdog” and referred to the justice as a “dictator.”

Moraes Pushes for Social Media Regulation

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes reiterated on Friday his belief that social media requires regulation to curb “hate speech.” He did not specify when he might issue an order to block X but emphasized that those who violate democracy and fundamental human rights, whether in person or online, must be held accountable. Brazilian law mandates that social media platforms have a local representative to operate legally in the country.

Potential Impact of a Block on X

If Moraes orders X to be blocked, Brazilian telecommunication companies would need to stop carrying X’s traffic. However, users could bypass the block using virtual private networks (VPNs). The tension over X’s compliance with Brazilian law is part of a broader conflict between Musk and Brazil’s judiciary.

Starlink’s Bank Accounts Frozen

In a related development, Brazil’s Supreme Court also froze the local bank accounts of Starlink, a satellite internet firm 40% owned by Musk. Despite this, Musk vowed on X that Starlink would continue providing free internet services to remote Brazilian areas until the issue is resolved. He highlighted that many isolated schools and hospitals rely on Starlink’s connections.

Military’s Concerns Over Starlink’s Operations

Musk also asserted that Starlink would continue supporting the Brazilian military, even though its bank accounts in the country had been “illegally frozen.” Brazil’s military had warned in a document sent to the lower house in June that any disruption of Starlink’s services could negatively impact its operations and the strategic deployment of specialized troops.

The situation between Musk, Brazil’s Supreme Court, and the government remains tense, with significant implications for both social media and satellite internet services in the country.