Brazilian Supreme Court President suspends injunction that halted the "Internet for All" program.

(Reuters)- The president of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Minister Cármen Lúcia, suspended on Monday night an injunction that prevented the continuation of the "Internet for All" program, created to expand broadband internet coverage to underserved communities, Telebras reported on Tuesday.

The program, developed by the Ministry of Science and Technology and Telebras, had been paralyzed since the Federal Court of Amazonas suspended the contract between Telebras and the American company Viasat for the operation of the Geostationary Satellite for Communication and Strategic Defense (SGDC).

In its appeal to the Supreme Federal Court (STF), the Attorney General's Office pointed out that the suspension of the program was harming the provision of broadband internet and the connection of schools and health units to the internet. Furthermore, it emphasized that the Federal Government invested 1,73 billion reais in the construction and launch of the satellite and that it has a short period to recover the investment, since the average lifespan of the satellite is 15 years.

"We demonstrated to the courts that the partnership for the exploration of the Ka-band of the SGDC was conducted with integrity, a legal basis, and reinforcing national sovereignty," said the president of Telebras, Jarbas Valente, in a statement.

The "Internet for All" program uses the SGDC system, operated by Telebras, for broadband signal distribution and includes the installation of antennas in areas that currently lack internet access, offering low-cost rates to the population of these municipalities.

Valente said that the state-owned company and Viasat are ready to begin installing 15 connection points for the program.