Elon Musk Gains Unexpected Support from The Washington Post After X is Banned in Brazil

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In a surprising move, The Washington Post editorial board defended Elon Musk and his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) after the Brazilian government imposed a ban on the platform. Despite frequently criticizing Musk, the paper took a stand against Brazil's decision, calling it a significant blow to free speech.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the suspension of X in the country, citing the platform's failure to comply with court orders to block over 140 accounts. The justice warned of arresting X's legal representative in Brazil and imposed daily fines for users attempting to bypass the ban. This action, according to The Washington Post, constitutes an "authoritarian" assault on free expression.

Musk’s team had already left Brazil prior to the ban, worsening tensions between X and Brazilian authorities. The Post argued that this move undermines democratic principles and equates Brazil with authoritarian regimes like China and Russia.

Adding to Musk’s legal troubles in Brazil, Starlink, another Musk-led company, is facing a court-ordered freeze on its financial accounts in the country. The editorial emphasized that these legal actions, combined with the ban on X, pose a greater threat to free speech than the accounts Brazil sought to block.

Despite their history of criticizing Musk, The Washington Post acknowledged that, in this case, the tech mogul’s stance is aligned with the defense of free speech.