MEXICO CITY (WSN) — On Saturday, social media platform X announced it will cease its operations in Brazil, citing a threat from Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes to arrest its legal representative if the company did not comply with his orders.
X is removing all of its remaining staff in Brazil “effective immediately,” though it stated that its services will still be available to Brazilian users. The company did not explain how it can suspend operations while continuing to serve the Brazilian public.
Earlier this year, X had a dispute with de Moraes regarding free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation on the platform. X claimed that de Moraes’ latest directives amounted to censorship and shared a copy of the order on its platform.
The Supreme Court’s press office did not immediately respond to the Associated Press’ requests for comment or to verify the authenticity of the document on Saturday.
In the United States, free speech is protected by the Constitution and generally more permissive than in many other countries, including Brazil. In April, de Moraes had ordered an investigation into CEO Elon Musk for spreading defamatory fake news, as well as another probe into possible obstruction, incitement, and criminal activities.
De Moraes has been active in addressing issues related to Brazil’s democracy, including investigating former President Jair Bolsonaro, banning his far-right allies from social media, and ordering the arrest of supporters involved in the January 8, 2023, attack on government buildings.
The company stated, “Moraes has opted to threaten our staff in Brazil rather than uphold the law or due process.”
In a tweet on Saturday morning, Elon Musk, the owner of X and a self-described “free speech absolutist,” criticized de Moraes as “an utter disgrace to justice.”
