X, previously known as Twitter, has shut down its Brazilian office amid a contentious censorship dispute. The social media giant revealed that a Brazilian Supreme Court judge, Alexandre de Moraes, issued threats to its local legal representative, including potential arrest, if the platform did not adhere to his censorship mandates.
Despite the shutdown, users in Brazil can still access the platform. Judge de Moraes has mandated that accounts accused of disseminating disinformation—primarily those associated with former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro—be suspended during ongoing investigations.
Following criticism from X’s owner, Elon Musk, Judge de Moraes imposed daily fines of 100,000 reais (approximately $19,774) for any reactivated accounts. The judge has also initiated an investigation against Musk for alleged obstruction of justice.
In a statement, X emphasized that its Brazilian staff do not control content moderation decisions, asserting that Judge de Moraes’s threats against staff were unwarranted. The company’s statement cited the safety of its employees as the reason for the immediate closure of its Brazil operations, placing responsibility squarely on Judge de Moraes. The company described his actions as “incompatible with democratic governance.”
Musk expressed on the platform that Judge de Moraes’s removal is essential, stating that closing the office was a “difficult” decision. However, he maintained that acquiescing to the judge’s demands would leave the company unable to justify its actions. Judge de Moraes is widely criticized by supporters of former President Bolsonaro, who have faced scrutiny during his administration.
