Legal Insurrection has previously reported on Twitter Files, in which the firm now known as “X” under the ownership of billionaire and free speech champion Elon Musk allows investigative journalists to read and review records from that social media platform. For example, we have focused on the analysis on Big Pharma’s role in repressing covid information and the Propaganda Media’s role in the disinformation campaign related to Hunter Biden’s laptop.

Last week, Brazil began a sweeping crackdown on free speech led by a Supreme Court justice named Alexandre de Moraes. Journalist Michael Shellenberger began new Twitter Files showing how the Brazilian government, now being ruled by far-left president, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, pressured Musk’s social media platform to censor its own citizens in direct violation of the Brazilian constitution.

The Supreme Court of Brazil is directly involved in the matter, led by Alexandre de Moraes (President of the Superior Electoral Court a justice of the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court).

Twitter Files, released here for the first time, reveal that de Moraes and the Superior Electoral Court he controls engaged in a clear attempt to undermine democracy in Brazil. They:

— illegally demanded that Twitter reveal personal details about Twitter users who used hashtags he did not like;

— demanded access to Twitter’s internal data, in violation of Twitter policy;

— sought to censor, unilaterally, Twitter posts by sitting members of Brazil’s Congress;

— sought to weaponize Twitter’s content moderation policies against supporters of then-president @jairbolsonaro

The Files show: the origins of the Brazilian judiciary’s demand for sweeping censorship powers; the court’s use of censorship for anti-democratic election interference; and the birth of the Censorship Industrial Complex in Brazil.

TWITTER FILES – BRAZIL

Brazil is engaged in a sweeping crackdown on free speech led by a Supreme Court justice named Alexandre de Moraes.

De Moraes has thrown people in jail without trial for things they posted on social media. He has demanded the removal of users from social…

— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) April 3, 2024

There has war between Musk and Moraes since then. To begin with, Musk lifted the restrictions in Brazil.

We are lifting all restrictions. This judge has applied massive fines, threatened to arrest our employees and cut off access to 𝕏 in Brazil.

As a result, we will probably lose all revenue in Brazil and have to shut down our office there.

But principles matter more than…

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 6, 2024

‘

Then Moraes targeted Musk in an ongoing investigation over claims of “disinformation” after Musk provided the Brazilian people a workaround to the censorship.

In his decision, Justice Alexandre de Moraes noted that Musk on Saturday began waging a public “disinformation campaign” regarding the top court’s actions, and that Musk continued the following day — most notably with comments that his social media company X would cease to comply with the court’s orders to block certain accounts.

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX who took over Twitter in late 2022, accused de Moraes of suppressing free speech and violating Brazil’s constitution, and noted on X that users could seek to bypass any shutdown of the social media platform by using VPNs, or virtual private networks.

Then Musk decided he would shed some light on the types of information Moreas requested on Brazilians’ communications.

Coming shortly, 𝕏 will publish everything demanded by @Alexandre and how those requests violate Brazilian law.

This judge has brazenly and repeatedly betrayed the constitution and people of Brazil. He should resign or be impeached.

Shame @Alexandre, shame.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 7, 2024

It seems publication of the information on Moraes will have to wait until Musk’s employees are safe.

They have been told they will be arrested

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 9, 2024

Now Brazil is threatening to cutoff service to Musk’s satellite internet communication service, Starlink.

Amid reports that the Brazilian government will also suspend all Starlink contracts in their ongoing battle with Musk, the X owner said that Starlink will provide free Internet for schools in Brazil “if the government won’t honour their contract.”

“When did de Moraes become the dictator of Brazil?” said Musk.

“He (de Moraes) demanded that X suspend accounts of people who raised corruption concerns while insisting that X pretend the suspension was for violating our terms of service,” Musk alleged.

Many Brazilians appreciate Musk’s efforts.

As a member of the Brazilian Congress who has been exposing and combatting the abuses of our Supreme Court for years, I want to express my deepest gratitude to @elonmusk.

Elon, you are currently aiding Brazil more than many members of the Brazilian House and Senate. You are… pic.twitter.com/dwp29ZXaCS

— Marcel van Hattem (@marcelvanhattem) April 8, 2024

To be honest, I have deep concerns about the possible role of Democrats and American bureaucrats who support them in the efforts against Musk.

Democrats are using Brazil and the EU as proxies to destroy Elon Musk and X.

Democrats are outsourcing the targeting of Americans they disagree with politically to other corrupt nations

What does that say about this party?

They hate Americans and will do anything for power.

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 8, 2024

I will also express concern that I have found very little information about the threats and attacks against Musk in our nation’s news outlets. It seems the only real reporters left in this country are on X.

I will simply note that America’s legacy media seems happier to report on Brazil’s thuggish Supreme Court Justice Moraes’ threats to @elonmusk and his staff than Musk’s defense of Brazilians, his staff, and free speech. #Brazil #TwitterFilesBrasil #FreeSpeech pic.twitter.com/NU6Yx9EkUV

— Leslie Eastman ☥ (@Mutnodjmet) April 9, 2024

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