Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, has announced it will block the social network X in Brazil to maintain its operations without risking its license. Elon Musk owns both companies.
The decision follows a Brazilian Supreme Court order that blocked X in the country after it defied court orders and failed to pay fines. X had refused to suspend accounts posting content deemed harmful to democratic institutions in Brazil, which is preparing for municipal elections in October.
The Supreme Court’s orders also froze Starlink’s financial assets in Brazil to ensure X would pay its penalties. The court’s top justice, Alexandre de Moraes, viewed Musk’s companies as working together.
One of the takedown requests involved the account of Senator Marcos do Val, who is under investigation for possible involvement in coup plots and sabotage against de Moraes. X also failed to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, a requirement under federal regulations.
To our customers in Brazil (who may not be able to read this as a result of X being blocked by @alexandre):
The Starlink team is doing everything possible to keep you connected.
Following last week’s order from @alexandre that froze Starlink’s finances and prevents Starlink…
— Starlink (@Starlink) September 3, 2024
Critics of de Moraes argue that he has overstepped by controlling online speech and social networks.
Starlink has about 250,000 customers in Brazil, and its competitors include Hughesnet, Viasat, and Telebras. SpaceX has advertised on X, and Musk has encouraged users to access the social network through Starlink’s service.
In response to the orders, Starlink issued the following statement:
“To our customers in Brazil (who may not be able to read this due to X being blocked by @alexandre):
The Starlink team is working tirelessly to keep you connected. Following last week’s order from @alexandre that froze Starlink’s finances and prohibited financial transactions in Brazil, we have initiated legal proceedings in the Brazilian Supreme Court to challenge this illegal order and request the unfreezing of our assets.
Despite the unlawful treatment of Starlink, we are complying with the order to block access to X in Brazil. We will continue to pursue all legal avenues, as others do, to challenge @alexandre’s recent orders, which we believe violate the Brazilian constitution.
Before agreeing to comply with the order to block X, the telecommunications regulator for Brazil, Anatel, had threatened sanctions against Starlink.
The public clash between Musk and the Brazilian administration, a significant non-NATO ally of the U.S., has been intensifying. Musk has criticized de Moraes as a “criminal,” likening him to villains such as Darth Vader and Voldemort, and has called for his impeachment, claiming de Moraes’ orders amount to illegal censorship.
Musk has also expressed support for Brazil’s far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro and promised retaliation against de Moraes and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Over the weekend, Musk wrote, “Unless the Brazilian government returns the illegally seized property of X and SpaceX, we will seek reciprocal seizure of government assets too.” He added, “Hope Lula enjoys flying commercial.”
Earlier in April, Musk questioned how de Moraes had become “the dictator of Brazil,” and criticized Lula for his stance on the issue. Lula, in an interview with CNN Brazil, said he hopes the suspension of X in Brazil demonstrates that the world does not have to tolerate Musk’s far-right views simply because of his wealth.
Under Lula’s administration, Brazil’s environmental authority Ibama seized Starlink terminals used by illegal miners in the Amazon rainforest.
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