Elon Musk discredits judge, potential ban looms for X in Brazil

Fire and Fury: Elon Musk Clashes with Brazilian Supreme Court Judge, X Ban on the Line

Echoes of a potential ban at the doorstep for the social media giant X in Brazil, the court suggests. The company warned that if no legal representative is appointed within Brazil's jurisdiction by tomorrow, their operations in the country may come to a halt - a severe consequence of missing an earlier court deadline.

The strife between the Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes and tech titan Elon Musk has reached a boiling point. Known for his relentless crusade against disinformation, Moraes took action against various X user profiles in early 2023, alleging the spread of false information by Bolsonaro's followers.

In April, Moraes slapped fines on Musk's company and Musk himself, claiming violations of the court order by reactivating the banned accounts, a move that Moraes deemed defiant. Undeterred, Musk chose to ignore the ruling and denounced the judge as an "enemy of free speech." Infractions continued to pile up, accumulating to $3.2 million euros in fines thus far.

With outstanding fines unpaid, Moraes established a 24-hour countdown for the company to appoint a legal representative within Brazil. Should this requirement not be met, X may face the suspension of its operations in the country.

Musk: Tyrant in a Crown

Moraes also empowered authorities to freeze Starlink's financial assets, a move designed to pressure Musk further. In response, the Starlink spokesperson asserted that the decision was baseless, as it held the satellite provider accountable for X's unconstitutional fines. Consequently, plans for legal action were announced.

In light of these unjust actions, Musk took to social media to decry Moraes as a "tyrant." He accused the blocking of Starlink accounts as illegal, asserting that it unfairly impacted ordinary Brazilians and shareholders. In a show of solidarity, Musk vowed to provide free internet access to Brazilians via Starlink satellites until the case is resolved.

Facing the sword of Damocles, X braces for potential service suspension in Brazil due to the lack of a legal representative. Despite the escalating conflict, Musk remains undaunted in his public criticisms and, in asserting his stance on freedom of speech, refers to the Brazilian Supreme Court judge as a "tyrant" on social media.

Glimpse of What’s Brewing Elsewhere:

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• [A New Player Rises]🇪🇺🏛️ A new right-wing parliamentary group takes shape in the EU Parliament, sans AfD. (ghost_url/new-right-wing-parliamentary-group-in-the-eu-parliament-is-formed-without-afd/)Enrichment Insights:
• Since February 2025, X has been slapped with a fine totaling 8.1 million reais ($1.42 million) for non-compliance of judicial orders.
• In 2024, X faced a temporary suspension of over a month in Brazil for failing to comply with court orders related to hate speech and appointing a local legal representative.
• Musk has criticized Justice Alexandre de Moraes, suggesting U.S. sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act, which allows the U.S. to freeze assets and impose travel bans on individuals accused of corruption or human rights abuses.
• Trump Media and Rumble have sued Justice Alexandre de Moraes, alleging illegal attempts to censor a politically outspoken user of Rumble, further fueling tensions between Musk and de Moraes.