Brazil's Supreme Court ordered a nationwide suspension on X following a contentious showdown with the social media network's mercurial owner Elon Musk and justice Alexandre de Moraes..
The social media platform X was suspended Friday across Brazil following the brewing feud between the two. Moraes threatened to stop X from operating in the country unless Musk hired a lawyer to defend the company against charges of X's lack of compliance with Brazilian law.
According to CNBC, Moraes issued the nationwide suspension after accusing Musk of defying court orders. However, many of Brazil's 171 million followers on X can still access the site using a VPN which routes access through another country.
The order includes a demand that the App Stores removes the app within five days, and citizens using a VPN face fines of over $8,000 US.
On Thursday, Brazil's Supreme Court blocked the local bank accounts of the Starlink satellite internet firm, of which Musk owns 40%.
Starlink, which provides internet services for much of Brazil's undeveloped area around the Amazon, responded with a defiant statement.
The move "is based on an unfounded determination that Starlink should be responsible for the fines levied — unconstitutionally — against X" and that it intended "to address the matter legally," the statement read.
Musk also responded on X, saying his social media company would continue to serve Brazilians for free "until this matter is resolved." He also posted that Starlink would "continue to support the Brazilian military even though our bank accounts in Brazil have been illegally frozen."
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva weighed in Friday, demanding that the billionaire comply with local laws.
"Each and every citizen from any part of the world that has an investment in Brazil is subject to the Brazilian constitution and Brazilian laws," Lula told a local radio station. "Just because a guy has a lot of money doesn't mean he can disrespect [the law]."
Musk and Moraes have clashed before over Brazilian law. The latest episode began Wednesday when the judge threatened to suspend X unless Musk hired a legal representative within 24 hours. Musk called Moreas an "evil dictator" and Lulu's "lapdog" in a post on X on Thursday.
