Brazil’s regulatory body for communication services has issued warnings of potential penalties directed at Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink, amid an escalating clash between the entrepreneur and the government over the blocking of his social media platform X.

The conflict between Musk and Brazil dates back to April, when X was mandated to block certain accounts by court rulings. Musk later announced that the restrictions were lifted and advised users to utilize a virtual private network (VPN) in case the social network faced a ban.

Top judge at the center

The recent actions taken against Starlink have intensified the feud between Musk and Brazil, particularly exacerbating the clash between the billionaire and Brazilian supreme court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who played a pivotal role in the banning of X.

Starlink stated on X last week that it had received a directive from Moraes that had frozen the company’s financial activities and halted its transactions within the nation.

Accusations have been traded back and forth between X and Moraes, with the social network asserting that the justice had intimidated their legal representative with imprisonment, leading to the freezing of all her accounts after resignation.

Musk has vehemently criticized Moraes, labeling him as an “evil tyrant” and demanding his incarceration. He has also denounced Brazil’s court verdict as an act of censorship.

The Brazilian supreme court was unresponsive to inquiries from good seeking comment.

Elon Musk’s clashes with Brazil have gained momentum as the country gears up for municipal elections in October, with social media platforms being required by law to have designated personnel capable of receiving and addressing government notices regarding political misinformation.

X failed to comply with this legal provision in Brazil, resulting in its staff being withdrawn from the country last month amidst ongoing tensions, setting the stage for the current legal confrontations.

good has reached out to both Anatel and SpaceX, the parent company of Starlink, for statements regarding the ongoing dispute.

Anatel, the Brazilian telecommunications authority, directed internet service providers to block access to X following the court’s instructions. Artur Coimbra, a commissioner at Anatel, informed Reuters that Starlink was the sole entity to express non-compliance with the court’s directive.

In a separate interview with CNN Brasil, Coimbra mentioned that Anatel is investigating the possible defiance of Starlink and other network operators. Sanctions such as fines and revocation of business licenses in Brazil are among the measures that could be imposed on companies failing to comply with the court order to block X.

As the situation unfolds, the scrutiny on Musk’s ventures in Brazil continues to escalate, emphasizing the growing tensions between the entrepreneur and the authorities in the South American nation.