Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink, has announced that it will comply with a Brazilian court order to restrict access to X, the social media platform owned by Musk, within the country.
This decision comes after Starlink initially stated it would not impose such limitations unless the Brazilian government lifted the freeze on its financial resources.
The dispute between Musk and Brazilian authorities, particularly Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, has intensified in recent weeks. Justice de Moraes has not only banned X due to the dissemination of false information but has also issued an order prohibiting Starlink from engaging in financial dealings.
This move was intended to pressure X into settling $3 million in penalties for not blocking accounts identified by Brazilian authorities.
In a message directed at its Brazilian customers, Starlink acknowledged the potential inability to view the message due to X being restricted in the country.
The company stated, “Regardless of the illegal treatment of Starlink in freezing of our assets, we are complying with the order to block access to X in Brazil.”
On Monday, a panel from the Brazilian Supreme Court unanimously supported the ruling to restrict access to X. Internet service providers and mobile application platforms have until September 4th to enforce the ban, and those who attempt to access the platform using a virtual private network may incur significant daily fines.
The conflict between Musk and the Brazilian administration has escalated, with Musk stating in a post on X that Justice de Moraes is “an outright criminal” who is only “masquerading as a judge,” and that he is calling for his impeachment.
Meanwhile, Musk has expressed admiration for Brazil’s former far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, and has threatened retaliation against current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.