Elon Musk Criticizes Brazilian SC Over Starlink Dispute

Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter) and Tesla, has openly criticized Brazil’s Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes for freezing the bank accounts of SpaceX’s Starlink, a satellite internet service provider.

In a series of posts on X, Musk described Judge de Moraes as “an evil dictator cosplaying as a judge” and “an outright criminal of the worst kind.” He also called Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva the judge’s “lapdog,” escalating his rhetoric against the Brazilian officials.

Legal Dispute Leads to Financial Blockade:

The controversy began when Brazil’s Supreme Court blocked Starlink’s finances, effectively preventing the company from conducting any financial transactions within the country.

This legal action is part of a broader dispute involving X, where the company was ordered to pay fines totaling at least 20 million reais ($3.6 million) for failing to submit certain documents. Musk’s sharp criticisms reflect his frustration with his company’s legal challenges in Brazil.

Threat to Ban X in Brazil:

In a further escalation, Judge de Moraes threatened to block access to X in Brazil unless the company appointed a legal representative in the country.

Brazilian law mandates that all internet companies have a local legal representative who can receive judicial orders and be held accountable for the company’s actions. X had until 8:07 PM on Thursday to comply with this requirement.

Musk’s Defiant Response:

Musk responded defiantly to the court’s order, sharing an AI-generated image of a man resembling Judge de Moraes behind bars, with the caption: “One day, Alexandre, this picture of you in prison will be real. Mark my words.”

He also highlighted that many remote schools and hospitals in Brazil depend on Starlink’s services. Musk announced that SpaceX would continue providing free internet service in Brazil until the legal issues are resolved, despite being unable to receive payments due to the court’s actions.

He emphasized that he owns about 40% of SpaceX and asserted that the court’s decision unfairly penalizes other shareholders and the people of Brazil.

Broader Implications:

This clash between Musk and Brazilian authorities underscores the broader challenges multinational tech companies face in navigating legal and regulatory environments in different countries, particularly when these involve high-profile disputes with government officials.