Elon Musk is so popular in this farming region of Brazil that his face is plastered in stores alongside herds of cows, and local magazines depict him as a superhero. The billionaire’s appeal is simple: His satellite company Starlink has connected Brazil’s vast rural and jungle expanses to the internet.  “We were all rooting for Starlink to come to Brazil…we knew what a big change it would make,” said Arthur Cursino, a ginger farmer here who once had to climb a tree to get a cellphone signal and now, thanks to Starlink, runs one of Brazil’s most popular YouTube channels on farming.

But Starlink’s rapid expansion has come as officials in the administration of leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have raised concerns about Musk’s growing influence over the country. After getting regulatory approval two years ago, Starlink eclipsed competitors in May 2024 to become the country’s biggest satellite internet provider.  Musk, a billionaire whose companies include social-media platform X and electric-car maker Tesla, has courted right-wing leaders around the world, including da Silva’s predecessor and rival, Jair Bolsonaro. Musk threw his support behind the candidacy of former President Donald Trump.

The regions where Starlink has become popular—Brazil’s agricultural heartland and the Amazon rainforest—are Bolsonaro strongholds where da Silva faces deep political opposition. Now, Brazil’s federal audit court is investigating Starlink’s use by public authorities in the country, threatening to place restrictions on the service. Anatel, the telecoms regulator, has opened a separate inquiry into Starlink, saying that its rapid growth in subscribers of more than 20% a month could crowd out new players.

Excerpt from Samantha Pearson, Brazil Sees Elon Musk’s Starlink as a Political Threat, July 26, 2024