Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro voiced his admiration for Elon Musk
At a rally on Rio’s iconic Copacabana beach, Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro voiced his admiration for Elon Musk emphasising the billionaire’s defense of freedom of expression amid controversy surrounding his ownership of the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Bolsonaro highlighted Musk’s bravery in standing up for democratic values, despite facing investigation in Brazil for remarks critical of a Supreme Court justice. Speaking to his supporters, Bolsonaro urged them to persist in defending freedom of speech, portraying Musk as a beacon of courage in the ongoing struggle for democracy.
The judge Musk took aim at, Alexandre de Moraes, has been actively combating disinformation, particularly efforts by far-right backers of Bolsonaro to undermine Brazil’s electoral system.
Brazilian authorities are probing whether Bolsonaro orchestrated an attempted coup to block his 2022 election opponent and current president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, from assuming office in January 2023.
Individuals barred by Moraes from online platforms include figures like far-right former congressman Daniel Silveira, who received a nine-year prison sentence in 2022 for leading a movement aimed at overthrowing the Supreme Court.
Musk had pledged to reinstate blocked accounts on X, emphasizing that “principles matter more than profit,” even at the risk of losing revenue in Brazil and potentially shutting down operations there.
However, Musk has yet to act on his threats, and the Brazilian branch of X has stated its intent to comply with court directives to block users disseminating misinformation.
Because he is against the will of the people and, therefore, democracy https://t.co/UKzeB4w1Zg
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 21, 2024
In response to Musk’s criticism, Moraes has imposed fines of 100,000 reais (approximately $20,000) per day for any reactivated blocked account on X. Accusing Musk of “criminal exploitation” of the platform, Moraes has launched an investigation into the Tesla and SpaceX CEO for alleged crimes such as conspiracy and obstruction of justice.
Addressing the situation, one X user questioned the absence of large crowds supporting Alexandre de Voldemort and censorship in Brazil. Musk responded, attributing the lack of support to opposition against the will of the people and, consequently, against democracy.
