Elon Musk threatens to SHUT DOWN his X platform in Brazil over 'anti-free speech' ruling

It is the latest move in an ongoing battle between Musk and Brazil’s highest court over demands that certain X accounts, mostly believed to be associated with far-right users, should be shut down in the nation.

Under the new ruling, companies that do not respect Brazilian legislation or the confidentiality of private information, could be temporarily suspended.

Moraes said that Musk needed to name a legal representative in the country by Thursday evening local time, or operations in the nation would come to a halt.

His court has now blocked the financial accounts of Musk’s Starlink to “guarantee the payment of fines”, local media has reported.

“Earlier this week we received an order from Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice @alexandre de Moraes that freezes Starlink’s finances and prevents Starlink from conducting financial transactions in that country,” Starlink wrote on X.

“This order is based on an unfounded determination that Starlink should be responsible for the fines levied—unconstitutionally—against X,” the company said. “It was issued in secret and without affording Starlink any of the due process of law guaranteed by the Constitution of Brazil. We intend to address the matter legally.”

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As well as the lack of legal representatives, the freeze of the company’s account stems from non-payment of penalties which X was required to pay for failing to submit some documents.

Folha, a local Brazilian newspaper, reported that the fines amount to approximately 20million reais (£2.7m).

Musk announced that Starlink’s parent company, SpaceX, would provide free internet service to Brazilian users “until this matter is resolved”.

The billionaire has slammed Moraes on X, writing: “Moraes is an outright criminal of the worst kind, masquerading as a judge”, and pinned a post by X stating that it was expecting to be shut down soon.

The platform is accessed by 40 million Brazilians at least once a month and is an important method of communication for politicians.

Earlier this month, the company announced that it would close its operations and fire its staff, whilst keeping its service available for users in Latin America’s largest economy.

Moraes previously ordered X to block certain accounts implicated in investigations of “digital militias” - accounts that have been accused of spreading fake news during the government of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.

Whilst Musk initially challenged the decision, X officials did a u-turn and told Moraes that they would obey the legal rulings.