Foreign mercantilists treat Brazil like a colony, says Moraes

The minister of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) Alexandre de Moraes said this Friday (April 19, 2024) that the Electoral Court is “accustomed to fighting foreign mercantilists who treat Brazil as a colony”.

The minister’s speech, who is also the president of the TSE (Superior Electoral Court), comes after weeks of escalating tension with Elon Musk, owner of X. The businessman is critical of the measures adopted by Moraes to ban profiles of X supporters. former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) for extremist speeches.

Musk even called Moraes “dictator” and said that decisions require the platform to against Brazilian laws. Subsequently, the minister included the billionaire in the digital militias inquiry and asked the social network’s headquarters in Brazil for clarification.

The movement was the scene of several political demonstrations by the Legislature, including those from Bolsonaro’s allies, those critical of Moraes and those in favor of Musk, and also from government supporters who accused the businessman of intervention.

Without mentioning names, the minister also criticized “unity” in between “irresponsible mercantilists linked to social networks” with Brazilian politicians “extremists”.

The Judiciary Committee of the United States House of Representatives demanded that X deliver the court orders intended for X. In an opinion issued on April 18, the entity endorsed Musk’s speech, criticizing Moraes for favoring a “left-wing government” and criticized the administration of President Joe Biden, considered favorable to Lula.

“This ancient mercantilist mentality that combines the abuse of economic power, which only seeks profit, with the extremist authoritarianism of new politicians (…) once again attacks the sovereignty of Brazil and once again attacks electoral justice with the union of irresponsible mercantilists linked to to social media with extremist Brazilian politicians”, these.

Moraes declared that the Electoral Court is not shaken and that “will continue to defend the will of the voter against the manipulation of the economic power of social networks, some of which only seek profit”.

“Electoral justice and the Brazilian Judiciary are used to fighting extremist and undemocratic politicians who prefer to subjugate themselves to international interests rather than defend Brazil’s development.”.

The minister was at the laying of the cornerstone of the Museum of Democracy, in Rio, which was attended by Mayor Eduardo Paes (PSD) and the State Governor – and Bolsonaro ally – Cláudio Castro (PL).

Moraes said that the space to be built will showcase Brazil’s democratic achievements, citing the creation of electronic voting machines and attacks “authoritarians” and January 8 extremists.