North Miami-Dade News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee for the Western Hemisphere, Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), criticized Brazilian President Lula da Silva and Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes for censoring opposition voices on social media during a hearing on the state of Democracy and Rule of Law in Brazil. She also defended Elon Musk against unprecedented Brazilian censorship.

The Supreme Federal Court of Brazil, under the leadership of Justice De Moraes, has launched a lengthy legal siege against X (formerly Twitter) and other social media companies like Rumble, in the name of protecting democracy. Elon Musk's commitment to safeguarding freedom of speech, even at the cost of potential profits, serves as an example to all who believe in democracy.

"Brazil not only has a president who is a convicted criminal for political corruption, Lula da Silva, but now also has a totalitarian operator as president of the Supreme Federal Court, Alexandre de Moraes," said Representative Salazar. "Elon Musk, owner of Twitter, has become a target of the highest court because he is fighting Moraes' restriction of the most fundamental rights of the Brazilian people: the right to freedom of speech. The Brazilian people deserve much better."

Brazil's Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes usurped congressional powers to silence Brazilian opposition that supported former President Jair Bolsonaro during and after the 2022 presidential elections.

In response to legal requirements imposed on social media companies operating in Brazil to restrict speeches that the government does not approve, Elon Musk ordered his company to fight these restrictions in Brazilian courts. Independent journalist Michael Shellenberger testified that Musk and X have grown tired of "illegitimate, unconstitutional and illegal censorship requests."

Brazilian journalist Paulo Figueiredo emphasized that the United States Congress must continue to expose corruption within President Lula's Administration and recommit itself to protecting opposition voices against arbitrary restrictions.

As a former journalist, Representative Salazar has dedicated her life to protecting the fundamental democratic right to freedom of speech and press freedom. To hear her full comments and line of questioning at the hearing, click here.

Congresswoman Salazar represents thousands of Brazilian-Americans in Florida's 27th Congressional District and is an advocate for freedom of speech worldwide.