President Donald Trump’s negative comments on Mexico, endorsed by Elon Musk, seems to have upset Carlos Slim, one of the richest people in the world and who heads up Mexico’s América Móvil telco. Slim has reportedly decided to cancel his collaboration with Musk’s Starlink.

Slim’s company, América Móvil, had previously announced plans to invest $22 billion (€21.2bn) over the next three years to enhance its telecommunications infrastructure, but had mentioned both Starlink and AST SpaceMobile as potential partners.

Local reports say that the fallout between Slim and Musk was further exacerbated by a controversial tweet from Musk, which implied connections between Slim and organised crime. This unproven accusation added fuel to the already strained relationship between the two business tycoons.

However, within an hour or two of the allegations made against him from Musk, Slim announced that he would transfer his projects for the next five years – initially with Starlink, say reports – and representing an investment of $22 billion, to AST SpaceMobile as well as companies in China and Europe.

But more than the cash, Musk could now have lost a major partner in 25 countries, in addition to giving up all that territory to companies of his competition and, most seriously, causing the USA to continue losing commercial presence and giving it to China.

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Categories: Articles, Broadband, Satellite

Tags: América Móvil, carlos slim, elon musk, Mexico, starlink