Elon Musk’s X Shuts Down Brazilian Operations Amid Supreme Court’s Overreach

X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, has made the unprecedented decision to close its operations in Brazil after facing heavy censorship demands from the country’s Supreme Court. The decision follows a secret order from Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who threatened to arrest X officials and impose daily fines if the platform did not comply with demands to block accounts critical of the government.

Moraes has gained a reputation for his aggressive use of judicial power to silence political opponents and protect President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva’s administration. His influence has grown significantly since he played a pivotal role in Lula’s return to power in 2018, leading investigations that targeted conservative figures and media outlets. Critics argue that his actions have turned Brazil’s judiciary into a political weapon used to suppress dissent.

In a statement explaining the closure, X’s global government affairs team pointed out that their Brazilian staff had no control over the content in question but were still targeted by Moraes’ threats. “Despite our numerous appeals to the Supreme Court not being heard, the Brazilian public not being informed about these orders, and our Brazilian staff having no responsibility or control over whether content is blocked, Moraes has chosen to threaten our staff rather than respect the law or due process.”

Elon Musk, commenting on the situation, reminded users of the importance of free speech in the U.S., stating, “A reminder that free speech in America is special and we need to do everything possible to preserve it.”

X’s decision to exit Brazil raises serious concerns about the future of free speech and democracy in the country. With one of the world’s largest social media platforms driven out by censorship and judicial overreach, the situation underscores the growing authoritarianism under Lula’s administration.