A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has ordered the transfer of some $3.3 million from companies owned by billionaire Elon Musk to the state to pay fines incurred by his social network X, which has been suspended in the country, it was reported on Friday.
Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes “determined the transfer to the Union’s coffers of 18.35 million reais (3.3 million dollars) blocked in accounts” of X and the satellite internet firm Starlink, both of Musk’s, the court said in a brief note. The decision was signed on Wednesday, it added.
Moraes ordered the former Twitter account blocked on August 30, accusing it of disregarding Brazilian courts’ measures to suspend accounts accused of misinformation and refusing to appoint a legal representative in Brazil.
Blockades after judicial non-compliance
The judge froze the assets of X and Starlink, which has been operating in Brazil since 2022, especially in remote communities in the Amazon, to ensure payment of fines imposed on X for its judicial non-compliance.
Brazilians can no longer access the X network, which had 22 million users in Latin America’s largest country, and those who try to circumvent the blockade using “technological subterfuge” such as virtual private networks (VPNs) face fines equivalent to around $9,000.
The decision has fueled debate over freedom of expression and the limits of social media inside and outside the South American country.
The suspension of the platform was applauded by the left led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and criticised by the right-wing opposition. Former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro called Moraes a “dictator”.
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