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A panel of Brazilian federal supreme judges voted unanimously to uphold an order suspending the use of Elon Musk’s X social network nationwide.
One judge, Luiz Fux, voted in favor but expressed “reservations” about the size of the order allowing the court to search for individuals or businesses involved in “subterfuge,” for example using a VPN, using X when blocked.
The top justice of the court, Alexandre de Moraes, issued the controversial suspension order late Friday after warning on Wednesday that Musk and X have 24 hours to appoint a legal representative for the business in Brazil or face “penalty of suspension of activity.” X previously refused a court request to remove the account or posts it said violated Brazil’s laws on political misinformation and online hate speech.
The court also froze the financial assets of another Musk-led business, the Starlink satellite internet service, in Brazil to ensure that the social network would pay the fine.
Brazil’s telecommunications regulator Anatel ordered internet service providers including Starlink to block access to X in the country until they comply with a court order. However, Brazil-based UOL reported that Starlink has informed the regulator that it does not intend to comply with the order, and now faces the possibility of Brazil revoking the license to operate there.
X Brazil’s suspension took place early Saturday, making apps and websites largely inaccessible to users in the country, a key non-NATO ally for the US with a heavily online population.
Musk and the companies said they considered de Moraes’ actions “illegal”, and that the court order had been issued without due process. The tech billionaire has been humiliating and calling for the impeachment of de Moraes for a week. Musk stepped up his rhetoric over the Labor Day weekend in the US
He called for an end to US foreign aid to Brazil, adding that “there will be reciprocal confiscation of assets from those who support the current regime in Brazil to pay for illegal actions,” without providing evidence to support the statement.
On Monday, Musk called de Moraes a “criminal” and wrote in another post on X, “Unless the Brazilian government returns illegally seized property and SpaceX, we will also pursue the seizure of government assets.”
The Associated Press reported the blocking of X in Brazil has “divided users and politicians over the legitimacy of the ban,” and many Brazilians “find it difficult and doubtful about navigating other social media without it.”
However, some social media users in Brazil are moving to other social networks. Bluesky on August 30 announced a “new all-time-high for activity” from users in Brazil.
SpaceX and Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.
Musk has declared himself a supporter of free speech, but his track record has been inconsistent. While he has resisted orders to remove accounts or content from authorities in Brazil and Australia, under his management, X has removed content critical of the ruling party in Turkey and India.
