Brazilian Supreme Court Adds New Hurdles for Elon Musk's X Amid Legal Battle

Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes imposed new conditions for Elon Musk's X social media platform to resume operations in the country. Besides appointing a legal representative, X must ensure Starlink withdraws its appeals. The platform was blocked over disputes involving free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation.

In a new ruling, Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes mandated that Elon Musk's social media platform, X, can only be reinstated in Brazil after Starlink, another company owned by Musk, rescinds its related appeals. This decision follows a month-long suspension of X in the country.

The blockage was instigated after X failed to meet de Moraes' demands, including the appointment of a legal representative. The legal dispute centers around issues of free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation, marking a prolonged conflict between Musk and the Brazilian judiciary.

Meanwhile, the court fined X nearly USD 1.84 million and reiterated that X's Brazilian operations must align with local laws. Musk's supporters argue these actions are authoritarian, but the rulings have been upheld by other judiciary members. X claims it has complied with all judicial decisions and seeks to defend freedom of expression within legal boundaries.

(With inputs from agencies.)