By C. Perera, JadeTimes News
X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has shut down its office in Brazil following a dispute over censorship. The platform stated that a Brazilian Supreme Court judge, Alexandre de Moraes, had threatened its legal representative in Brazil with arrest if it did not adhere to what X described as his "censorship orders." The Brazilian Supreme Court has yet to issue a statement on the matter.
Despite the closure, X, which is owned by billionaire Elon Musk, confirmed on Saturday that the platform remains accessible to users in Brazil.
Judge Moraes had previously mandated that X block accounts he accused of disseminating disinformation, many of which belong to supporters of former right wing president Jair Bolsonaro, while they are under investigation. After Musk publicly criticized Moraes, the judge imposed daily fines of 100,000 reais for any account that X reactivated, and warned of potential legal consequences for the company’s representatives in Brazil should they fail to comply. Furthermore, Musk has been placed under investigation for alleged obstruction of justice.
In a statement, X clarified that its Brazilian staff had no authority over content blocking decisions, and accused Moraes of unjustly targeting them rather than upholding the law. "To ensure the safety of our staff, we have decided to close our operations in Brazil, effective immediately," the statement read. "The responsibility lies solely with Alexandre de Moraes. His actions are incompatible with democratic governance."
Musk also commented on the situation via X, asserting that there is "no question that Moraes needs to leave." He acknowledged that the decision to close the Brazil office was "difficult," but insisted that complying with Moraes' "demands" would have left the company unable to justify its actions without feeling "ashamed."
Judge Moraes is unpopular among supporters of former president Bolsonaro. During Bolsonaro’s tenure, Moraes ordered investigations into several of the president's allies.
