Musk issues warning to hunt Brazilian government assets
Date
9/18/2024 8:41:45 AM
(MENAFN) Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has declared his intention to pursue the seizure of Brazilian government assets in the United States if the Brazilian authorities fail to return property belonging to his companies, X (formerly Twitter) and SpaceX. This threat comes in response to a recent ruling by Brazil's Supreme Court, which mandated the immediate suspension of X's operations within the country and imposed a daily fine of 50,000 Brazilian reals (approximately USD8,874) for attempts to circumvent this ban using a VPN. Additionally, the court ordered major tech companies like Google and Apple to remove X from their app stores within five days. This decision was reaffirmed by a panel of federal justices on Monday.
The Supreme Court also took the significant step of freezing the accounts of Starlink, a subsidiary of Musk’s SpaceX, as a measure to enforce the payment of fines stemming from the company’s failure to appoint a new legal representative for X in Brazil.
In a post on his social media platform, Musk stated, “Unless the Brazilian government returns the illegally seized property of X and SpaceX, we will seek reciprocal seizure of government assets too.” He further taunted Brazilian President Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva by suggesting he might have to "enjoy flying commercial."
Musk's provocative remarks were made in reaction to a news report regarding the United States government's confiscation of a jet allegedly linked to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who is accused of violating United States sanctions against Venezuela.
This contentious situation between Musk and Brazilian authorities traces back to April when Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes issued an order for X to delete accounts associated with several supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, labeling them as “digital militants” responsible for disseminating disinformation about himself and the court.
As the legal confrontation escalates, it underscores the complexities of international business operations and the increasing scrutiny that tech companies face from regulatory bodies around the world. Musk’s aggressive stance raises questions about the potential repercussions for diplomatic relations between the United States and Brazil, as well as the broader implications for tech governance in the region.
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