Elon Musk in Brazil to Discuss Over Illegal Deforestation and Starlink Internet

• A live video posted on the president’s Facebook page featured Bolsonaro and Musk.
• The Brazilian government is in negotiations with SpaceX to secure satellite Internet.

Ministers said that Elon Musk came to Brazil on Friday to meet with President Jair Bolsonaro to discuss efforts to protect the Amazon rainforest, a boost for the far-right leader, who is under pressure for increased deforestation under his leadership.

Utilizing Technology to Curb Illegal Deforestation

Fabio Faria met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in November, and now the two are meeting again. Musk is the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, and he is in talks with Twitter about acquiring the social network. They spoke about using SpaceX technology to provide internet access to rural schools and fight illegal deforestation.

“Let’s do this!!” was all that Fabio Faria, Brazil’s Communications Minister, had to say after welcoming Tesla CEO Elon Musk. It’s not clear what Musk’s discussions with the Brazilian government on Amazon’s environmental monitoring would entail. A live video posted on the president’s Facebook page also featured Bolsonaro and Musk on stage together, answering questions from the audience.

Mr. Bolsonaro’s administration has been accused of promoting the impunity of gold miners, farmers, and lumber traffickers who illegally remove the rainforest from the Amazonian landscape. According to the Brazilian government, it is in negotiations with SpaceX to secure satellite Internet in the Amazon rainforest and increase the detection of illegal deforestation.

Twitter has accepted Elon Musk’s first proposal for the company, and Bolsonaro, who has criticized large internet corporations for their efforts to combat misinformation on social media, applauded the news. He’s also been working for years to introduce Tesla to Brazil, where the company doesn’t have a physical presence.