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The social media platform X, which was formerly known as Twitter, has announced that it is closing its offices in Brazil.
The company says this decision is due to “censorship orders” given by Brazilian judge Alexandre de Moraes. Even though the offices are closing, people in Brazil will still be able to use X to post and interact with others.
This development comes as X, owned by Elon Musk, faces another censorship battle in Venezuela, where President Nicolás Maduro recently ordered a 10-day ban on the platform following a dispute with Musk.
Main Details
X decided to close its offices in Brazil after receiving a series of legal orders that it claims were issued secretly by Judge Alexandre de Moraes. These orders included:
- Content Removal: X was told to remove specific content from the platform.
- Consequences for Non-Compliance: If X did not follow these orders, the company could face:
- A daily fine of 20,000 reais (around $3,653).
- The arrest of its representative in Brazil, Rachel Nova Conceicao.
X shared a document that it claims proves these threats. However, Brazil’s Supreme Court, where de Moraes serves, told Reuters that it would not comment on the matter, nor would it confirm or deny the authenticity of the document shared by X.
In response to these events, X made a statement on its platform accusing Judge de Moraes of:
- Abusing Power: X said that de Moraes was misusing his authority and acting against democratic values.
- Secret Threats: The company revealed that de Moraes had secretly threatened to arrest its representative if it didn’t comply with the orders.
- Lack of Transparency: X criticized the lack of information shared with the Brazilian public and mentioned that its staff in Brazil had no control over the situation.
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.
Despite our numerous appeals to the Supreme Court not being heard,… pic.twitter.com/Pm2ovyydhE
— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) August 17, 2024
X explained that closing its operations in Brazil was a tough decision, but it blamed Judge de Moraes for forcing its hand.
Additional Context
This event is part of a longer conflict between X, now owned by Elon Musk, and the Brazilian government.
In April 2024, Musk said that X would not obey Brazil’s orders to block certain accounts on the platform. As a result, Judge de Moraes started an investigation against Musk for obstructing justice. Although X initially refused to follow the government’s orders, the company eventually agreed to comply.
In the same month, the House Judiciary Committee published a report saying that the Brazilian government was trying to make X and other social media platforms censor over 300 accounts. The report mentioned that these accounts included those of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a member of the federal senate, and a journalist.
Venezuela Blocks X Amid Political Unrest
In a move that mirrors the challenges X is facing in Brazil, Venezuela has also imposed restrictions on the platform.
In August 2024, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro ordered a 10-day ban on X after a public argument with the platform’s owner, Elon Musk. This conflict happened after the disputed presidential election on July 28, where Maduro claimed he won with 51% of the vote. However, opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez has strongly contested this result, accusing the government of widespread election fraud.
Shame on Dictator Maduro https://t.co/yad3Itps5N
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 29, 2024
The tension escalated when Elon Musk used X to criticize Maduro, calling him a “dictator” and accusing him of “major election fraud.” Musk’s comments were widely shared on the platform and contributed to the unrest in Venezuela – with at least 23 people reported dead during clashes related to the election.
Maduro responded by accusing Musk of using X to incite hatred and cause instability in the country, leading to the temporary shutdown of the platform.
