Brazilians have the right to hear Bolsonaro speak, says Musk

The billionaire and owner of X (former Twitter), Elon Musk, said on his profile on the social network that Brazilians have “the right to hear him [Bolsonaro] to speak”. The former president participated in a live broadcast on the platform on Saturday (May 4, 2024) with Australian journalist Mario Nawfal. “Whether you agree with Bolsonaro or not, the people of Brazil have the right to hear him speak”wrote Musk.

During the livethe former president stated that the objective of the government of the current head of the Executive, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and the minister of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) Alexandre de Moraes is “destroy the right in Brazil”. He did not name the judge by name and referred to him as “a judge who presides over the [TSE] Superior Electoral Court”.

Bolsonaro also stated that there is persecution by the federal government and the Judiciary against right-wing politicians and profiles. In his view, the traditional press is an ally of the left, while social media is the only way for the right to combat the narratives of its opponents.

The former president also stated that the protesters who participated in the 8th of January were “commandless troublemakers” and again said that he had no role in the depredation of Praça dos Três Poderes, in Brasília. He also compared the episode to the invasion of the United States Congress, on January 6, 2021. According to Bolsonaro, both events were spontaneous and without a central command.

Elon Musk and Alexandre de Moraes had a clash in April, when the owner of X asked why the minister “requires so much censorship in Brazil”. Musk’s comment followed accusations made by American journalist Michael Shellenberger, author of Twitter Files Brazil, on April 3. According to Shellenberger, the minister has “led a case of widespread repression of freedom of expression in Brazil”.

The following day, Moraes ordered the opening of an investigation to investigate Musk’s conduct. The magistrate asked for an investigation into possible obstruction of justice, “including criminal organization and incitement to crime”.