Last week, Twitchy reported on 'The Brazil Files,' another huge exposé from journalist Michael Shellenberger detailing the corruption in the Brazilian government related to free speech and Twitter. As with most of Shellenberger's reports, The Brazil Files were thorough and comprehensive.
You can read the full coverage above, but a quick summary is that the Lula government in Brazil, led by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, has been engaging in massive censorship and worse, going so far as to imprison people without trial for social media posts, trying to silence members of the Brazilian Congress, and trying to weaponize Twitter's content moderation policies to enact censorship even outside of Brazil. Moreover, the Brazilian court (illegally) demanded that Twitter release personal details from users who tweeted hashtags de Moraes didn't like, and also demanded access to Twitter's internal files.
Shellenberger released The Brazil files on April 3. It took Twitter owner Elon Musk a few days to respond to it all, but when he did ... whoa nelly, he was having NONE of it.
It started with one of Musk's usual, casual tweets where it appeared he was just noticing things and exclaiming about them.
This aggressive censorship appears to violate the law & will of the people of Brazil https://t.co/Vuxerg2L9w
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 6, 2024
One person responded to this tweet asking Musk, if this was true, why would he comply?
It was ON from there ...
We are lifting all restrictions. This judge has applied massive fines, threatened to arrest our employees and cut off access to 𝕏 in Brazil.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 6, 2024
As a result, we will probably lose all revenue in Brazil and have to shut down our office there.
But principles matter more than…
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The tweet concludes, 'But principles matter more than profit.'
In other words: Stuff it, Brazil.
Shellenberger then posted a video update to his Brazil Files in which he accurately called Lula and de Moraes tyrants, and shamed companies like Facebook who had complied with their demands. Musk chimed in on that too.
This is all accurate. https://t.co/auqZnICkd7
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 7, 2024
He made similar comments to others reporting on his defiance of Brazil's demands.
These are the most draconian demands of any country on Earth! https://t.co/BkLq52cDtW
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 7, 2024
He even joined many who were advising people living in Brazil to get a VPN so their access to social media would not be shut off.
To ensure that you can still access the 𝕏 platform, download a virtual private network (VPN) app https://t.co/ui55eq2KKp
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 7, 2024
But Musk wasn't done there. After many comments like this, he went from open defiance to all-out war on de Moraes.
Coming shortly, 𝕏 will publish everything demanded by @Alexandre and how those requests violate Brazilian law.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 7, 2024
This judge has brazenly and repeatedly betrayed the constitution and people of Brazil. He should resign or be impeached.
Shame @Alexandre, shame.
Whoa. Elon Musk is PISSED, y'all. As he should be. As all Brazilians should be, not to mention anyone around the world who believes in free speech.
This is exactly how social media companies should handle governments telling them to censor content on their platforms. https://t.co/8EVFrTVmrm
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) April 7, 2024
Note to Mark Zuckerberg: you are doing it wrong and you always have been.
We’re finally seeing legitimate activism against the neoliberal regime. Excited to see how this shakes out.
— BowTiedRanger (@BowTiedRanger) April 7, 2024
What I would do to have a governor with balls like Elon. https://t.co/8jFaj49aa3
It would also be nice if we had an administration in Washington that wasn't openly on Brazil's side here.
— Te𝕏asLindsay™ (@TexasLindsay_) April 7, 2024
GOOD LORD. Is that really what de Moraes looks like? That is almost as bad as Klaus Schwab.
Brazil’s Darth Vader!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 7, 2024
It's pretty scary when the people who want to stamp their boot on the neck of the world don't even bother hiding the fact that they look exactly like Bond villains.
Keep going, Elon! 👋🏻 pic.twitter.com/zp1hkhzRoX
— Dr. Simon Goddek (@goddeketal) April 7, 2024
Musk gave Brazil the full Bob Iger Disney treatment.
Thank you for fighting for free speech.
— #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) April 7, 2024
Expose Alexandre and all those government officials who violate the very laws they were appointed to protect.
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) April 7, 2024
This is the only way to prevent it from happening.
Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
Free speech pic.twitter.com/Uo7Uzi6xLU
— Anton (@Antons_profile) April 7, 2024
Look, Musk is not perfect and he makes mistakes (like his current CEO). But he is clear about his mission with Twitter and free speech. The people who are opposed to that mission -- going so far as to call Musk a 'Nazi' -- tell us everything about themselves and none of it good.
Elon is calling for a ‘Regime Change’ in Brazil, on 𝕏 — & I’m HERE for it✔️🇧🇷 https://t.co/CCyWk3cxoC pic.twitter.com/epgsJjXSDa
— Marla Hohner (@marlahohner) April 7, 2024
Save us some of that popcorn because we have a feeling this is going to get intense.
An important showdown - lefty tyrants around the world threaten free speech, from Brazil to Washington. https://t.co/JbMNv9sof7
— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) April 7, 2024
Get some. This is the way. Show everyone the tyranny. https://t.co/ENN9ni3KLJ
— Mr T 2 (@GovtsTheProblem) April 7, 2024
But it's easy for us to shout this from America. Even though free speech is threatened here every day by the current administration, they haven't destroyed it as much as Brazil is trying to do.
It means a lot more when Brazilians speak up in favor of Musk. Because, as Shellenberger's Brazil Files showed, that's something that can get them thrown in prison.
Thank you, Elon, for exposing the Brazilian dictatorship promoted by @alexandre. We have been suffering with him since 2019, and were hoping for your support. I have no words to describe the good you are doing for Brazil.
— Ludmila Lins Grilo (@ludmilagrilo) April 7, 2024
We hope that guy is using a VPN ... not even joking.
Ultimately, however, all Musk can do is defy and expose. He can call for regime change, which he clearly was doing over the weekend, but he can't enact it.
That is for the people to do. And hopefully, Western governments as well, putting pressure on Brazil to change. We're not too confident about the latter, at least for now, but the more tyranny that gets exposed, the harder it will be for the United States, and other allegedly free nations, to ignore it.
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