SpaceX President Urges Brazil to End Sanctions on Starlink Amid Financial Account Freeze

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell has called on Brazil to end sanctions against Starlink, citing the recent freezing of the company’s financial accounts and threats to revoke its ISP license. The move has sparked tensions between SpaceX and Brazil’s Supreme Court, impacting internet access for rural Brazilians.

SpaceX President Calls on Brazil to End Starlink Sanctions Amid Intensifying Tensions with Government

Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's president, requested that Brazil cease harassing the company's high-speed internet service, Starlink, following the freezing of its financial accounts and threatening to terminate its status as an ISP.

For weeks, tensions between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Brazil Supreme Court Justice Alex de Moraes have intensified.

SpaceX, Musk's social media platform X, and the company's financial accounts were frozen by the government, which resulted in a significant change in circumstances.

Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's president, requested that Brazil cease harassing the company's high-speed internet service, Starlink, following the freezing of its financial accounts and threatening to terminate its status as an ISP, per Teslarati.

For weeks, tensions between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Brazil Supreme Court Justice Alex de Moraes have intensified.

SpaceX, Musk's social media platform X, and the company's financial accounts were frozen by the government, which resulted in a significant change in circumstances.

Brazil’s Starlink Sanctions Spark Backlash as SpaceX Warns of Impact on Rural Internet Access

In Brazil, it is now unlawful to access X. While Starlink and virtual private networks (VPN) are accessible, these are illegal loopholes that could result in fines exceeding $8,900 for daily use.

Brazil's decision to freeze Starlink's finances also elicited a response from the FCC. Brendan Carr, the commissioner, wrote a scathing letter to Brazil's Telecommunication Agency, known as ANATEL, calling their actions "unlawful" and a "failure to respect universal and basic tenets of transparency, fair notice, and due process."

In addition, Gwynne Shotwell, the President of SpaceX, is now urging Brazil to cease its sanctions against Starlink, which she believes are superfluous.

Starlink's objective is to provide internet access to rural areas. Therefore, the freezing of bank accounts and the prospect of revocation of its ISP license would negatively impact the Brazilian populace, not just the company.

Tensions between the two parties must ultimately be alleviated. The government's decision to interfere with Starlink's operations has a more significant impact on its citizens than on Starlink or SpaceX, as it provides internet access to many Brazilians.