Elon Musk, owner of the social network, questioned that “an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying freedom of expression for political purposes.” The suspension was the result of a fight against disinformation.
The Supreme Court of Brazil confirmed on Monday the decision through one of its judges to suspend the social network X of billionaire Elon Musk, alleging judicial breaches by the platform.
Access to X, formerly Twitter, is no longer available available through its website and mobile app since early Saturday morning, hours after the blockade ordered by the magistrate Alexandre de Moraesof the Supreme Federal Court (STF).
Moraes wages a battle with Musk for months, which has as a backdrop the limits of the freedom of expressionwho together with four other judges in a STF room, voted in virtual session in support of the measure. As of Friday, X had 22 million users in Brazil, according to the DataReportal portal.
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“Elon Musk demonstrated his total disrespect to Brazilian sovereignty and, in particular, to the judiciary, placing itself as a true supranational entity and immune to the laws of each country“, said Moraes by endorsing his decision.
In the context of the fight against disinformation In Brazil, Moraes on Friday ordered the “immediate suspension” of X across the country within 24 hours, a ruling that sparked outrage from Musk, a well-known staunch defender of freedom of expression.
“Freedom of expression is the foundation of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes“, reacted X the magnate, a supporter of the far-right former president Jair Bolsonarowho has also described the judge as “evil dictator“.
The process for the final blockade
The suspension, just over a month before the elections are held, municipal elections In Brazil, it responds to a ultimatum launched by Moraes on Wednesday for the platform to appoint a local representative so that suspend their activities.
The deadline expired on Thursday and the former Twitter said it expected to be blocked for its refusal to comply with the “illegal orders” from the robed to “censor their political opponents“. He President Lula da Silva He spoke out on the matter and questioned the “disrespect” from Musk to Brazilian laws.
The company announced in mid-August the closing of its operations in Brazil due to the judge’s actions, although it maintained the service available For Brazilians, “Freedom of expression” does not protect “repeated violations of the legal system,” the Judge Flavio Dinoformer Minister of Justice.
Source: Ambito
