In a recent development, SpaceX's satellite internet service, Starlink, has announced its compliance with court orders to block the social network X in Brazil. The move comes after Brazil's supreme court suspended X for failing to adhere to federal regulations on content moderation and the appointment of a legal representative in the country.

The court's decision to block X was prompted by the social network openly defying court orders and neglecting to pay fines. The platform refused requests to suspend accounts that were posting content allegedly detrimental to democratic institutions in Brazil, particularly during the upcoming municipal elections in October.

Notably, Elon Musk, the owner of both Starlink and X, has been publicly criticizing Brazil's administration and even threatened "reciprocal seizure of government assets" in response to court orders targeting his businesses.

To continue its operations without risking the loss of its license, Starlink has agreed to comply with the court's orders by blocking access to X in Brazil. This move aims to protect Starlink's financial assets in the country, which were previously frozen to ensure that X paid its penalties.

The country's top justice, Alexandre de Moraes, viewed Musk's two companies as interconnected entities, adding weight to the court's actions. One specific takedown request was related to the account of senator Marcos do Val, who is currently under investigation for potential involvement in coup plots and sabotage of de Moraes himself. Additionally, X failed to fulfill the requirement of appointing a legal representative in Brazil, as mandated by federal regulations.

Critics of de Moraes argue that he has overstepped his boundaries in terms of controlling online speech and social networks. SpaceX's Starlink, which boasts approximately 250,000 customers in Brazil, faces competition from other satellite internet providers such as Hughesnet, Viasat, and Telebras.

The Starlink account on X released a statement addressing their decision and expressing concerns over de Moraes' actions. The statement highlighted the company's commitment to keeping customers connected, as well as their initiation of legal proceedings in the Brazilian Supreme Court to challenge the freezing of Starlink's finances. The company, alongside others who believe de Moraes' orders violate the Brazilian constitution, will continue to explore all available legal avenues.

Prior to Starlink's agreement to comply with the court orders, Brazil's telecommunications regulator, Anatel, had threatened sanctions against the company. The ongoing clash between Musk and Brazil's administration, a significant non-NATO ally of the U.S., has been intensifying for months. Musk has publicly criticized de Moraes, likening him to notorious villains such as Darth Vader and Voldemort, while advocating for his impeachment. Musk has also voiced support for Brazil's far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro and pledged retribution against de Moraes and current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

This escalating conflict has drawn international attention, with even Lula expressing hope that the suspension of X in Brazil will demonstrate to the world that it is not obliged to tolerate Musk's far-right ideologies solely based on his wealth.

It is worth noting that under Lula's administration, Brazil's environmental authority, Ibama, had confiscated Starlink terminals used by illegal miners in the Amazon rainforest.