Good morning! Today, we try to unpack how Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter will affect the Brazilian election. Findings brought by new polls. And the latest chapter of Jair Bolsonaro’s feud with the Supreme Court.
Brazilian government celebrates Musk’s Twitter takeover
It took Brazil’s Foreign Affairs Ministry almost 24 hours to congratulate Emmanuel Macron for his re-election in France (President Bolsonaro still hasn’t, personally), but only minutes for members of the Brazilian government to celebrate Elon Musk’s USD 44 billion purchase of Twitter.
- Communications Minister Fábio Faria, one of the president’s main advisors, celebrated the deal (on Twitter, where else?) as a step “in the defense of freedom.”
Congratulations, @elonmusk! 🚀
Mais uma vez você está a dois passos na frente dos outros players e agora faz um gesto ao mundo e em defesa da liberdade! 🐦 pic.twitter.com/9Rbbyzgdea— Fábio Faria 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷 (@fabiofaria) April 25, 2022
Why it matters. What happens now to one of the world’s main social media platforms is anyone’s guess. But many believe Mr. Musk’s laissez-faire views on content moderation will turn Twitter into an even bigger cesspool of hate speech and misinformation.
- Brazil is approaching an election, and opponents of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro worry...