International

Elon Musk accuses brazilian Supreme Court of blocking Starlink accounts amid misinformation probe

On Thursday, billionaire Elon Musk accused Brazil’s Supreme Court of blocking his company Starlink’s bank accounts as part of the court’s investigation into the spread of misinformation on social media platform X, which Musk also owns.

Musk lashed out at Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is leading the investigation, labeling him a “criminal of the worst kind” and a “dictator of Brazil” in a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter.

A Supreme Court spokesperson told EFE that they had no information regarding this action by the judge.

According to the company, the blocking of Starlink’s accounts—an internet service provider with over 215,000 active lines in Brazil—is aimed at ensuring the payment of fines imposed on X.

Starlink announced on social media that it would appeal the decision, which it described as “unfounded,” and claimed that De Moraes ignored “the legal processes guaranteed by the Brazilian Constitution.”

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The company also stated that it is “doing everything possible to ensure its service remains uninterrupted,” as the ruling also prevents it from conducting financial transactions in the country.

Musk’s accusations come a day after De Moraes ordered Musk to appoint a legal representative for X in Brazil within 24 hours or face suspension of the social media platform’s activities in the country.

Musk is under investigation for alleged obstruction of justice, criminal organization, and incitement to crime after he refused to comply with the court’s orders to remove content from the social media platform.

Earlier this month, X announced it was closing its office in Brazil because De Moraes had suggested jailing its legal representatives if they did not comply with court orders regarding the removal of profiles.

De Moraes is leading an investigation into the spread of misinformation and previously ordered the removal of hundreds of posts on X questioning the integrity of Brazil’s electoral system during the 2022 elections. He is also overseeing another investigation into former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro for his alleged involvement in an attempted coup following his election defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”

International

Mexico security chief meets DEA director in Washington to boost anti-drug cooperation

Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, met in Washington with the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Terrance Cole, to discuss cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and illegal arms flows.

The Mexican official said Monday on social media that he attended the meeting in representation of the Mexican government’s Security Cabinet.

“In Washington, D.C., I represented the Security Cabinet to hold talks with DEA Director Terrance Cole on the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation to combat drug trafficking, curb the flow of weapons into our country, and reduce violence in Mexico through significant arrests,” García Harfuch wrote.

He added that, following instructions from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the government will continue strengthening international cooperation on security matters.

For his part, Cole said the meeting focused on cross-border collaboration to tackle drug trafficking and to build safer communities on both sides of the border.

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The meeting comes as Mexico and the United States begin a new round of dialogue on economic and security issues.

Earlier Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said she will look for the “best moment” to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that maintaining a good relationship with Washington is a priority for her administration.

International

Venezuela’s foreign minister accuses UN rights chief of “immoral bias”

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil criticized the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, accusing him of having an “immoral bias” and acting as an “echo chamber for falsehoods” regarding the situation in Venezuela.

Gil’s remarks came after Türk stated that his office had not received an official list from Venezuelan authorities detailing the release of political prisoners, nor authorization to carry out visits related to the issue.

“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights insists on a narrative biased against our country, repeating unfounded accusations while deliberately omitting the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the rights of the Venezuelan people,” Gil said in a message posted on his Telegram channel.

Without directly addressing the question of prisoner releases, the Venezuelan foreign minister also accused Türk of aligning with what he described as the “agenda of extremism in Venezuela.”

Gil added that, despite serious human rights violations occurring in other parts of the world, the UN official has chosen to maintain what he described as an “immoral bias” against Venezuela.

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The criticism is part of a broader dispute between the Venezuelan government and the UN human rights office over reports and investigations concerning the human rights situation in the country.