Moraes targets say that reaction to Musk “exposes dictatorship”

Banned from Paulo Figueiredo, told People’s Gazette that Moraes’ reaction to the revelations by billionaire Elon Musk, owner of X, about censorship on the social network, “exposes dictatorship” and “arbitrariness”.

At the behest of Moraes, who is also president of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), Musk was included in two inquiries after asking the minister why he “demands so much censorship in Brazil” and promising to activate the accounts of Brazilian users who were banned by STF order over the last four years.

The questioning occurred after the release of a new series of internal Twitter documents involving the social network’s dealings with Brazilian authorities and personalities which reveal that the TSE, in addition to parliamentarians and the Public Ministry, sought to violate the Marco Civil and “constitutional rights”. of Brazilian citizens, according to the company’s own legal consultants, to carry out evidentiary fishing and collect mass data from users who posted certain hashtags. The scandal is being called Twitter Files Brazil.

The documents were revealed by author and journalist Michael Shellenberger, in collaboration with People’s Gazette.

The news about the possible restoration of blocked profiles in Brazil was released by the billionaire through his X account, in response to a question made by journalist Paulo Figueiredo Filho, exiled in the United States.

Wanted by People’s Gazettethis Monday (8), Figueiredo recalled that other social networks (Rumble and Locals) have already closed operations in Brazil because they did not agree with Moraes’ orders, however, “Twitter is the first of the networks mainstream to take on this challenge.”

“This is a moment of watershed. Alexandre is being forced to double down and expose the Brazilian dictatorship to Brazilians and the world. If we do so, we will be joining the select list of countries that ban Twitter, made up of China, North Korea and others. My work of denouncing the Brazilian dictatorship to the world has become much easier now. Today, I grant eight interviews to international vehicles. I received a call from an American congressman on Sunday at 9 pm. The repercussion is gigantic”, said the journalist.

Paulo Figueiredo had his profile on the social network

Also targeted by Moraes and exiled in the USA, journalist Allan dos Santos said that abroad, “the repercussions are one of the worst for Brazil”.

“People from all spectrums of politics are coming to the defense of X and Musk. Americans have a non-negotiable value in freedom of expression. It is inconceivable here that a constitutional court judge would open criminal investigations to persecute his critics”, said Allan dos Santos to People’s Gazette.

Allan does not rule out the possibility of Twitter being banned in Brazil, since Musk has become the target of investigations by the STF.

“As for the possibility of banning X, yes it is possible, given that Musk, like me, became a target, in a draconian decision, such as my arrest and extradition, in the same investigation 4,874 [das Milícias Digitais]. Moraes’ decision is a certificate of confession to the world of its arbitrariness”, he added.

Allan dos Santos’ profile on the social network has been blocked in Brazil since October 9, 2021. The journalist is being investigated for criticizing STF ministers and for alleged “attacks on democracy”.

Another target of the Brazilian judiciary who had to move to the United States is the influencer Monark, who had his social networks suspended for criticizing state authoritarianism and supporting demonstrations against the STF and TSE.

When talking to the People’s GazetteMonark said that Musk’s revelations are “great news for Brazil, for those who care about freedom of expression”.

“If he [Moraes] If you want to fight, you will have to reveal to the world that Brazil is a great dictatorship in which it is the biggest dictator. So, it is a very big price for the government to pay. I think they [o governo] They will try to de-escalate the situation, but this is also positive for us, because it means that Twitter will be free from state constraints. We will have, at least, a platform that will not give in to pressure”, said Monark, remembering that platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Meta are already aligned with the STF guidelines.

Monark said he did not believe that the social network would be banned in Brazil and spoke about the “commotion” generated on the internet as a result of the case.

“I think that if Alexandre de Moraes doubles the bet, this commotion will increase. So, the path is promising. They are good news. We will certainly see a very weakened Alexandre de Moraes in the coming years or a strengthening of Brazil’s dictatorship, but by then it will have been revealed to the world”, he added.