Dispute escalates

Deadline expired: Brazil blocks X platform

On Thursday, judges also blocked the accounts of satellite operator Starlink.(Bild: AFP/MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP)

A judge at Brazil's Supreme Court has ordered the blocking of the online service X. Access to the platform must now be blocked "throughout Brazilian territory", according to circles at the Supreme Court. This escalates a months-long dispute between judge Alexandre de Moraes and tech billionaire and X owner Elon Musk. 

Moraes had opened an investigation into Musk in April, accusing him of reactivating illegal accounts. Musk then accused the judge of censorship. He expressed fears that X's legal representative in Brazil could be arrested.

A 24-hour deadline had previously expired, which Judge De Moraes had given the network on Wednesday to appoint a new legal representative for the company in the country - otherwise X's activities in Brazil would be "stopped immediately".

Musk responded to the latest order on his platform by saying that "this 'judge' has repeatedly broken laws that he promised to uphold".

Fines amounting to 3.2 million euros
On Thursday, judges also blocked the accounts of satellite operator Starlink, as the company, like X, is part of billionaire Elon Musk's empire. This is intended to put pressure on Musk to pay fines that the court had imposed on the X platform for disobeying court orders. According to a Brazilian newspaper report, the fines amount to the equivalent of up to 3.2 million euros.

"Evil dictator"
On Friday night, Musk reacted to the impending suspension with several posts on X. He referred to the judge in charge of the Brazilian Supreme Court, Alexandre de Moraes, as an "evil dictator". Musk has been at loggerheads with the Brazilian judiciary for some time.