X announces closure of operations in Brazil, services to continue
X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, has announced it will cease its operational presence in Brazil, effective immediately. Despite this decision, the platform will remain accessible to users across the country.
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In a dramatic move, X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has announced it will cease its operations in Brazil effective immediately. However, the platform will remain accessible to Brazilian users, despite the shutdown of its local operations.
The decision comes as X finds itself entangled in a high-profile legal battle with Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Moraes had previously sought to block certain accounts on X as part of an investigation into election disinformation and alleged "digital militias."
In a statement posted on X's global government affairs account, the company claimed that Moraes had "threatened our legal representative in Brazil with arrest if we do not comply with his censorship orders." The statement further elaborated, "To protect the safety of our staff, we have made the decision to close our operations in Brazil, effective immediately. The X service remains available to the people of Brazil."
The accounts targeted by Moraes include those of a pastor, a current parliamentarian, and the wife of a former parliamentarian, according to earlier posts from X. The company's action follows a previous criminal enquiry opened by Moraes into Elon Musk, the owner of X, after Musk indicated he would defy a court order by lifting restrictions on certain accounts. Although the company initially appeared to resist the order, it eventually complied by blocking the accounts.
The legal dispute has further inflamed political tensions in Brazil. Supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was defeated in 2022 elections and barred from seeking office again for eight years due to alleged election fraud claims, have criticized Moraes and called for his impeachment. Bolsonaro, who met with Musk during his presidency, has been vocal in his criticism of Moraes, and Musk himself has suggested that the justice should "resign or be impeached."
In its statement, X emphasized that its Brazilian staff had no control over content blocking decisions, positioning the decision as one of principle. The company framed the situation as a choice between "democracy, or Alexandre de Moraes."
