Conservative Brazilians gathered at a rally in Rio de Janeiro to show their support for billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk amidst his ongoing feud with the country's Supreme Court. The rally, held in backing of former President Jair Bolsonaro, saw thousands of Bolsonaro supporters in attendance.
One prominent sign at the rally read, 'Brazil Thanks Elon Musk,' highlighting the admiration for Musk among the conservative base. Musk, known for his stance on free speech, has been embroiled in a legal battle in Brazil over the dissemination of fake news by Bolsonaro supporters.
Musk's social media platform, X, has refused to comply with a court order to remove accounts accused of spreading disinformation. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO criticized Justice Alexandre de Moraes for what he perceived as an infringement on free speech rights and urged users to utilize VPNs to bypass any potential shutdown of the platform.
In response, de Moraes included Musk in an investigation into digital militias and initiated a new probe into obstruction, incitement, and criminal conspiracy. Despite the legal challenges, Musk was praised by speakers at the rally for his commitment to free speech and defiance against perceived censorship.
Former President Bolsonaro commended Musk for his 'courage' in standing up against what he labeled as censorship by the Supreme Court. Bolsonaro himself is facing investigations for various alleged crimes, including attempts to overturn election results and plotting against his successor.
Brazil holds significant importance for social media companies, with a substantial portion of the population accessing platforms like X. Approximately 40 million Brazilians, constituting around 18% of the population, engage with X on a monthly basis, according to market research.
