Justice Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) determined on Sunday night (7th) the inclusion of businessman Elon Musk, owner of social network X (formerly Twitter), as a subject of investigation in the inquiry into the existence of antidemocratic digital militias and their financing.
The justice also decided that social network X must refrain from disobeying any judicial order already issued by the STF or the TSE (Superior Electoral Court). Moraes stated that the measure is justified by the "dolose criminal instrumentalization" of the network, in connection with the facts investigated in the inquiries into fake news and antidemocratic acts.
Additionally, it investigates the role of Google and Telegram executives in Brazil in an alleged campaign against the Fake News bill and the attempted coup and violent abolition of the democratic rule of law. Elon made a series of posts over the weekend related to Brazil. He said he was "lifting restrictions" imposed by judicial decision on his network and argued that Moraes should resign or face impeachment. The episode served to inflame the Bolsonaro base on social media.