Elon Musk, CEO of Space X, X and Tesla, has become known as a free-speech champion. The Gateway Pundit reported that Musk continues to fight for an uncensored platform that promotes open and productive public debate in America and across the globe.
Musk’s pursuit of a censor-free platform has angered government officials in America in 2022 and in the European Union in 2023. This year, Brazil is targeting the tech mogul.
The Latin Times reported that Brazil’s Supreme Court sparked a new controversy when it ordered X to “block certain accounts found to disseminate disinformation in the country.”
Musk initially questioned the order and embarrassed Brazilian officials by making the matter public. His platform’s Global Government Affairs office posted their shock and confusion over the order to block content.
The post noted that X was threatened with “daily fines” if they did not immediately comply with the order.
X Corp. has been forced by court decisions to block certain popular accounts in Brazil. We have informed those accounts that we have taken this action.
We do not know the reasons these blocking orders have been issued.
We do not know which posts are alleged to violate the…
— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) April 6, 2024
Musk then flatly refused the order and called out Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes for “brazenly and repeatedly betrayed the constitution and people of Brazil.”
Musk claimed the order was an attempt by Brazilian government officials to suppress dissent and content with which they disagreed. Musk added he believed de Moraes should “resign or be impeached.”
The situation continues to escalate, with Musk later stating that de Moraes “has applied massive fines, threatened to arrest our employees and cut off access to 𝕏 in Brazil.”
A defiant Musk vowed to reactivate accounts blocked by Brazilian officials and not yield to pressure to use his platform to compromise free speech despite threats of a significant financial penalty for noncompliance.
De Moraes has ratcheted up pressure on Musk by ordering an investigation into Elon’s business activities, claiming X disseminates “fake news and misinformation” and threatening Musk with a $20,000 fine for every account reactivated on his platform.
“X shall refrain from disobeying any court order already issued, including performing any profile reactivation that has been blocked by this Supreme Court,” the judge threatened.
Escalating the matter, Musk has vowed to publish a full account of Brazilian interference — claiming the “judge has brazenly and repeatedly betrayed the constitution and the people of Brazil.”
Free speech advocates around the world stand in solidarity with Elon. The Gateway Pundit noted that “a myriad of freedom-loving Brazilians” have expressed their appreciation to Musk with “many thousands of memes.”
