In a significant move, X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, announced today that it is ceasing its operations in Brazil, although the platform will remain accessible to users within the country.
This decision follows a tense legal standoff between X and Brazil’s Supreme Court, particularly with Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has been pushing to block certain accounts on the platform as part of a broader investigation into election-related disinformation and so-called “digital militias.”
The announcement was made through X’s Global Government Affairs account, where the company revealed that Justice Moraes had issued a secret order threatening the arrest of X’s legal representative in Brazil if the platform did not comply with what the company described as “censorship orders.”
In a bold move, X shared this secret order publicly, stating: “Last night, Alexandre de Moraes threatened our legal representative in Brazil with arrest if we do not comply with his censorship orders. He did so in a secret order, which we share here to expose his actions.”
Faced with these escalating tensions, X explained that it has made the difficult decision to shutter its operations in Brazil immediately to safeguard its employees. However, the platform will remain operational for Brazilian users.
“Despite our numerous appeals to the Supreme Court not being heard, we have decided to close our operation in Brazil, effective immediately. The X service remains available to the people of Brazil,” the company stated.
In an earlier communication, X listed some of the accounts targeted by Moraes, noting that they included “a pastor, a current Parliamentarian, and the wife of a former Parliamentarian.”
This development is the latest chapter in an ongoing saga between X and Brazil’s judiciary. Earlier this year, Justice Moraes opened a criminal inquiry into Elon Musk, the platform’s owner, after Musk indicated he would defy a court order by lifting restrictions on certain accounts. Subsequently, X reversed its stance and complied with the court’s demands.
Supporters of Brazil’s former far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, have been particularly vocal in their criticism of Justice Moraes, accusing him of overreach and calling for his impeachment. Bolsonaro, who lost the 2022 presidential election, has been barred by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court from seeking office for the next eight years, due to allegations that he sought to undermine the electoral process by promoting unsubstantiated claims of fraud.
Musk, who met with Bolsonaro during a visit to Brazil in 2022, has also weighed in, stating that Moraes “should resign or be impeached.”
In today’s post, X emphasized that “our Brazilian staff have no responsibility or control over whether content is blocked on our platform” and urged, “the people of Brazil have a choice to make – democracy, or Alexandre de Moraes.”
As this situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how X’s decision will impact the broader conversation about freedom of speech, government intervention, and the role of social media platforms in global democracies.
