By Brazil’s Supreme Court has authorized the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to resume operations in the country. The decision comes after the platform, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, reversed its earlier stance and began complying with court rulings that Musk had previously vowed to resist.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who had been embroiled in a months-long feud with Musk, gave X the green light to resume operations in Latin America’s largest country, effective immediately. In his Tuesday decision, Moraes stated that X had met all the necessary requirements to restart its operations in Brazil.
The conflict between Musk and the Brazilian judiciary escalated when the tech mogul denounced court orders as censorship and labeled Moraes a “dictator.” However, Musk began to shift his position in recent weeks. X started blocking accounts flagged by the court, appointed a local representative, and paid pending fines.
Moraes’ decision instructs Brazil’s telecommunications regulator, Anatel, to facilitate X’s return to online operations within 24 hours. As of 7 p.m. local time on Tuesday, users in Brazil were still unable to access the platform.
X, through its Global Affairs account, expressed pride in returning to Brazil, adding that it would “continue to defend freedom of speech, within the boundaries of the law” in countries where it operates.
The dispute in Brazil is one of several recent confrontations between Musk, who sees himself as a champion of free speech, and governments worldwide, including Australia and the United Kingdom, seeking to curb the spread of online misinformation.
Brazil’s Communication Minister, Juscelino Filho, hailed X’s decision to pay fines and comply with court orders as a “victory for the country.” He stated, “We showed the world that here our laws should be respected, by whomever it may be.”
The initial suspension of X came after an individual ruling by Moraes, who has led a local campaign against perceived attacks on democracy and the political use of disinformation. His ruling was later unanimously supported by a five-member panel of the Supreme Court and its chief justice.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also backed the move, asserting that businesses operating in Brazil must adhere to local laws and that the world was “not obliged to put up with Musk’s far-right ideology just because he is rich.”
Brazil represents X’s sixth-largest market globally, with approximately 21.5 million users as of April, according to data platform Statista. During the platform’s suspension, many users migrated to rival platforms such as Bluesky and Meta Platforms-owned Threads.
X had maintained legal representation in Brazil until mid-August when it decided to close its offices in the country due to what it termed “censorship orders” from the court. This decision ultimately led to the suspension, in a legal battle that also affected Musk’s satellite internet provider, Starlink, whose accounts Moraes temporarily froze to cover fines imposed on X.
The company appointed a new representative, lawyer Rachel de Oliveira Conceição, in late September, coinciding with X’s announcement that it had begun blocking accounts as ordered by the court. Earlier this month, the firm paid pending fines it had previously contested, paving the way for its reinstatement in the country.
The suspension meant X was unavailable in Brazil during the final month of the country’s municipal elections, which concluded on Sunday. However, in many cities, including São Paulo, Latin America’s largest city, mayoral elections will proceed to run-offs on October 27.
REUTERS
