News Brief
Elon Musk’s X Likely To Soon Resume Operations In Brazil After Top Court Orders Fund Unblocking
X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk. (Image: Shutterstock)
A Brazilian judge on Tuesday (1 October) directed the unblocking of the bank accounts of Elon Musk's X in Brazil, following the platform's agreement to settle over $5 million in fines.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes's ruling on Tuesday could pave the way for lifting of the suspension of X in Brazil, where the platform has been inaccessible since 31 August due to a dispute over alleged disinformation between the judge and Musk.
Moraes ordered X shut down in Brazil after Musk declined to remove several right-wing accounts and failed to appoint a new legal representative in compliance with the court's orders.
In his most recent ruling, Moraes instructed Brazil's central bank to unblock X’s bank accounts, enabling the platform to receive funds and "immediately make payment of the fines indicated."
According to the ruling, X notified the court of its intention to pay fines amounting to around $5.2 million.
The conflict between Brazil’s judiciary and the US tech billionaire has escalated into a significant standoff, probing the boundaries of free speech and corporate accountability in the South America's largest nation.
Before the ban was enforced on 31 August, X had over 22 million users in Brazil.
In the past week, X began adhering to the conditions set by the Brazilian court in an effort to resume operations.
Musk has frequently lashed out at Moraes on social media, referring to him as an "evil dictator" and likening him to "Voldemort" from the "Harry Potter" series.
