Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes has taken steps to block the financial accounts of Elon Musk’s Starlink in response to an ongoing feud that has left Musk’s social media platform X on the brink of being shut down in the country. Judge de Moraes ordered Starlink to cease financial transactions in Brazil due to the lack of legal representatives for X in the country. Starlink confirmed receipt of the order and stated that it would address it legally.
Musk reacted strongly to de Moraes’ actions, calling him a criminal in disguise as a judge and denouncing the decision as censorship. De Moraes has been cracking down on misinformation and disinformation, ordering the suspension of over 100 X accounts, some linked to supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Earlier this month, X announced its closure in Brazil citing censorship orders from de Moraes, but continued to provide service to Brazilian users. De Moraes had threatened legal action against X for failing to comply with orders to remove specific content. The judge’s recent ruling required Musk to appoint a legal representative for X in Brazil within 24 hours or face suspension.
Musk, who has a reputation as a free speech advocate, has accused de Moraes of violating Brazil’s constitution by restricting free speech. The feud between Musk and de Moraes has escalated, with Musk refusing to comply with orders to block certain X accounts and de Moraes accusing him of a disinformation campaign.
The ongoing conflict between the two influential figures highlights the larger debate over free speech and censorship in Brazil, with de Moraes cracking down on misinformation while Musk fights to protect free expression on his platform.
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