In response to a court order, Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly known as Twitter), accused Brazil of having an “oppressive regime,” as his public conflict with a Supreme Court judge intensifies. Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes ordered the shutdown of X in Brazil after Musk failed to appoint a legal representative in the country.
The feud between Musk and the judge has been ongoing for months, following X’s refusal to comply with legal orders to block accounts accused of spreading fake news and hate speech.
The judge also imposed fines totaling 18.5 million reais (£2.5 million) and warned that anyone using virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass the block could face daily fines of up to 50,000 reais (almost £7,000). Brazil’s telecom regulator, Anatel, has received the court order and is moving forward with the suspension.
X expressed concern that it would be shut down by the judge for refusing to comply with what it described as “illegal orders” to censor the judge’s political opponents. The company also claimed that when they tried to defend themselves in court, Judge de Moraes threatened their Brazilian legal representative with imprisonment.
X further criticized the Supreme Court, stating that its attempts to challenge the judge’s actions were ignored, and other justices were either unable or unwilling to confront him.
The shutdown order is based on Brazilian law, which requires foreign companies to have representation in the country to be notified of legal cases. Supporters of the judge argue that his actions are lawful, backed by the majority of the court, and are intended to protect democracy.
