Brazil suspends Musk's X after legal representation dispute

A Supreme Court judge in Brazil ordered the suspension of Elon Musk's social media platform, X, on Aug 31, due to the billionaire's failure to comply with a directive to appoint a new legal representative for the company.

The ruling was issued by Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who has been engaged in a protracted dispute with Musk. Moraes, who is spearheading efforts to combat disinformation in Brazil, mandated an "immediate, complete, and comprehensive suspension" of the operations of 'X Brasil Internet LTDA' across the country.

The judge instructed the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) to take all necessary actions to enforce this order within 24 hours.

Additionally, he directed major tech companies, including Google and Apple, along with internet service providers, to implement measures to block access to the X app and website in Brazil. The platform, previously known as Twitter, boasts over 22 million users in Brazil.

Earlier in the month, Musk had halted X's business operations in Brazil, alleging that Moraes had used threats of arrest against the company’s previous legal representative to enforce "censorship orders."

On Aug 28, Moraes gave Musk a 24-hour deadline to appoint a new legal representative in Brazil or face suspension. Musk responded with criticism, labeling Moraes as an "evil dictator cosplaying as a judge" and accusing him of attempting to undermine Brazilian democracy.

X's statement following the missed deadline predicted that Moraes would soon order the platform's shutdown in Brazil for non-compliance with what Musk called "illegal orders to censor political opponents."

This confrontation traces back to a previous order from Moraes to suspend several X accounts linked to supporters of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, who had tried to undermine the legitimacy of the 2022 election, which he lost.

Authorities are now investigating whether Bolsonaro attempted a coup to prevent current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office in January 2023.

Among those banned by Moraes were notable figures like former congressman Daniel Silveira, sentenced to nine years in prison in 2022 for leading an anti-Supreme Court movement.

In April 2024, Moraes expanded his actions to investigate Musk for allegedly reactivating some of the banned accounts on X.

Critics, including Musk, accuse Moraes of impinging on free speech. In response to the ongoing dispute, Brazilian President Lula remarked, “Any citizen from anywhere in the world who has investments in Brazil is subject to the Brazilian Constitution and laws. Who does Musk think he is?”

On Aug 29, Musk's satellite internet service, Starlink, reported receiving an order from Moraes that "freezes Starlink's finances and prevents it from conducting financial transactions" in Brazil.

Starlink, which operates primarily in the Amazon region, contested the order, claiming it was unjustly aimed at holding the company accountable for fines imposed on X. The company announced its intention to resolve the issue through legal channels.

Additionally, Musk faces a separate judicial investigation regarding allegations that public funds were used to orchestrate disinformation campaigns supporting Bolsonaro and his allies.