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While Bolsonaros motives are obvious, Musks are perhaps less so. Bolsonaro has always been a reactionary agitator uncommitted to civility and constructive democratic engagement. He might even believe that if he can sufficiently muddy the waters of Brazilian democracy, he can push the courts to overturn his ban on seeking elected office. Musks right-wing turn, while in the making for a long time, has only become extremely pronounced in the past few years. His tweets are riddled with pejorative references to woke culture that resonate with a right-wing base trained to abhor political correctness, and he has dabbled in antisemitic conspiracy theories and re-platformed some of the most vile, hateful people in America.

He insists this is his prerogative in Brazil too, where some 40 million peopleor about 18 percent of the population in Brazilaccess X at least once a month. Earlier this month, in response to a court order demanding that X block an undisclosed number of accounts or face heavy daily fines, Musk made clear that he would not only ignore the ruling, which he calledaggressive censorship,but lift restrictions on previously suspended Brazilian accounts. He also urged Brazilians to resist Moraes, whom he referred to as a dictator holding Lula on a leash, and suggested both were part of some corrupt bargain of political self-protection. The spat temporarily called into question whether Starlink, Musks satellite internet company, would continue to operate in Brazil, where it has facilitated illegal mining and logging operations. During a speech at the site of the future Museum of Democracy in Rio de Janeiro on April 19, Moraes subtly jabbed Musk by noting that the countrys justice system is used to fighting foreign mercantilists who treat Brazil as a colony, as well as extremist and antidemocratic politicians who prefer to subjugate themselves to international interests. By that point, X in Brazil had quietly reversed itself, signaling it would abide by all judicial orders even as Musk escalated his online attacks against Moraes.

Musk most likely identifies with the trollish, macho authoritarianism that is the stock-in-trade of bolsonarismo and doesnt like the idea of the Brazilian government restricting his company in any way. There is nothing high-minded about his position. Mr. Musk is not a moral reference for defending freedom of expression, Paulo Abro, the executive director of the Washington Brazil Office, told me, adding that X executes numerous content removal orders around the world and Musk himself does not criticize dictatorial governments when his economic interests take precedence. His positions on Brazil are biased and are being used as a smokescreen for his business interests in the country. The basic problem for X is that the limits placed on its operations in Brazil are in accordance with local law, not the jurisprudence Musk carries around in his head.

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Elon Musk Is Now Meddling in Brazil's Democracy, Too - The New Republic