A block on Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), began to take effect early Saturday in Brazil following a Supreme Court judge’s order. Judge Alexandre de Moraes issued the suspension on Friday after Musk failed to appoint a new legal representative for the company amid ongoing disputes over disinformation.
Brazilian users of X were met with an error message and could not log in as the suspension took effect. Musk, also known for his roles with Tesla and SpaceX, reacted strongly, calling Moraes an “evil dictator” and accusing him of undermining democracy in Brazil.
Moraes’s order comes after a prolonged conflict between him and Musk over disinformation on the platform. The judge had demanded a complete suspension of X’s operations in Brazil and threatened fines for attempts to bypass the block. He also requested tech companies like Google and Apple to implement measures to prevent access to X, though he later retracted this demand.
The dispute began when Moraes ordered the suspension of X accounts linked to supporters of Brazil’s former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro. Authorities are investigating whether Bolsonaro attempted a coup to prevent the current president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, from taking office.
In response, Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink, faced a financial transaction freeze in Brazil after being accused of not complying with the judge’s orders. Starlink plans to address the matter legally.
Brazilian President Lula criticized Musk’s defiance, asserting that anyone with investments in Brazil must adhere to its laws and Constitution.
