Social media company X says it will close its operations in Brazil, after claiming a judge on the country’s supreme court threatened to arrest its legal representative in Brazil if the company did not comply with his orders.
X, formerly Twitter, said it was removing its remaining staff in Brazil “effective immediately” though the service will still be available there.
The company, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has already clashed with the justice in question, Alexandre de Moraes, over free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation on X.
Brazil’s Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes. Pic: Reuters
Elon Musk. Pic: Reuters
In April, Mr de Moraes ordered an investigation into chief executive Mr Musk over the dissemination of defamatory fake news and another probe over possible obstruction, incitement and criminal organisation.
His most recent orders amounted to censorship, X said, and an account claiming to be X’s global government affairs shared a copy of the supposed document in question.
The Supreme Court’s press office has not yet commented or confirmed the veracity of the document.
Mr Musk published several posts about Mr de Moraes on X on Saturday night, including one which likened the justice to the Harry Potter villain Voldemort.
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Brazil’s political right has long characterised Mr de Moraes as overstepping in his role to clamp down on free speech and engage in political persecution.
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He has aggressively pursued those he views as undermining Brazil’s young democracy including investigating former president Jair Bolsonaro and ordering the arrest of his supporters who stormed government buildings in January 2023.