X is closing its operations in Brazil effective immediately. X owner Elon Musk stands in front of the Brazilian flag. Reference image. Photo: X/ @athanassi2
August 17, 2024 Time: 1:13 PM
The social network “X” (formerly Twitter) announced on Saturday that it would close its Brazilian offices after accusing Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes of “threatening” his legal representatives with jailing them if they did not comply with judicial decisions.
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According to X, Moraes privately threatened to arrest one of the company’s representatives in Brazil, Raquel de Oliveira Villa Nova Conceição, if the platform did not comply with orders to remove some profiles and content involved in spreading false information.
The company, owned by tycoon Elon Musk, said De Moraes’ actions were “incompatible with a democratic government,” the platform said, publishing parts of a court ruling handed down on Friday that again ordered X to remove multiple profiles.
Last night, Alexandre de Moraes threatened the Brazilian legal representative with arrest if he did not comply with the censorship order. He did this with a secret order, but we are publishing it here to shed light on his actions.
Despite our multiple unsuccessful appeals to the Supreme Court… pic.twitter.com/Pm2ovyydhE
— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) August 17, 2024
In the documents, the magistrate said the company had failed to comply with earlier orders and argued that failure to do so would subject its Brazilian representative to a fine of 20,000 rand (about $3,600) per day and imprisonment for disobedience.
Many of the profiles that the judge ordered to be blocked on social networks are believed to have a direct connection to the attack on supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at the organization’s headquarters in Brasilia earlier last year.
In addition, the magistrate is leading a new investigation into far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022) for his alleged involvement in a coup attempt after his election loss to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Author: ACJ
Fuente: EFE // Agentia Nova //