Global social media giant, X, has abruptly shut down its operations in Brazil, citing “censorship orders” issued by Brazilian Supreme Court judge, Alexandre de Moraes. The platform, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, announced the decision on Saturday, stating that the closure is effective immediately.
According to X, Judge Moraes covertly threatened one of the company’s legal representatives in Brazil, Rachel Nova Conceicao, with arrest if the platform did not comply with legal directives to remove specific content. The company alleges that Moraes signed a document imposing a daily fine of 20,000 reais ($3,653) and an arrest decree against Conceicao should X fail to adhere to his orders.
“In order to safeguard our employees, we have made the difficult decision to cease our operations in Brazil immediately,” the company stated.
While the Supreme Court, where Judge Moraes serves, declined to comment on the matter, it neither confirmed nor denied the authenticity of the document shared by X. Despite the cessation of operations, X clarified that its service would still be accessible to users in Brazil.
Earlier this year, Judge Moraes had directed X to block certain accounts as part of his investigation into so-called “digital militias” accused of disseminating fake news and hate speech during the administration of far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro. Musk has publicly criticized these rulings, labeling them as “unconstitutional.”
Musk’s stance against Moraes’ decisions led to heightened tensions, particularly after he vowed to reactivate accounts that had been suspended under the judge’s orders. However, in a surprising turn, X’s representatives informed Brazil’s Supreme Court that they would comply with the court’s rulings, citing “operational faults” as the reason for the continued activity of some blocked users.
On Saturday, Musk took to X to express his disdain for Judge Moraes, describing him as “an utter disgrace to justice” and condemning what he called “secret censorship and private information handover demands.”
The unfolding situation between X and the Brazilian judiciary raises significant concerns over the balance between judicial authority and freedom of expression, particularly in a country still grappling with the implications of its recent political history.