Tesla and SpaceX chief executive officer Elon Musk listens to a question as he speaks at the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition in Washington, March 9, 2020. (AP Photo)
On Wednesday, a Brazilian Supreme Court justice warned that local operations of X, previously known as Twitter, could face shutdown unless billionaire owner Elon Musk appoints a legal representative in Brazil within 24 hours.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the ultimatum as part of an ongoing dispute with Musk’s platform. Earlier this year, the company had clashed with de Moraes over issues related to free speech, far-right accounts, misinformation, and claims of censorship.
This month, X announced it was pulling out all of its remaining staff from Brazil "immediately," citing threats of arrest against its legal representative from de Moraes.
The Supreme Court notified X of de Moraes’ order in response to a post from the company’s global government affairs account on the platform.
The court warned that failure to comply with the order could lead to a suspension of X’s operations in Brazil.
In the U.S., free speech is protected more broadly by the Constitution than in many other countries, including Brazil. In April, de Moraes had ordered investigations into Musk for spreading defamatory fake news and for potential involvement in obstruction, incitement, and criminal organization.
In Brazil, some political figures criticize de Moraes for allegedly overstepping his authority and targeting free speech. Meanwhile, his supporters argue that his actions are legal, backed by most of the court, and crucial for safeguarding democracy during a challenging time.
