Social network X says it paid fines in Brazil to lift its suspension in the country

Social network In a brief court document, Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes writes that “X submitted a request (…) informing that the fines imposed on him had been paid in full”or 28.6 million reais (around 4.8 million euros). The magistrate asked the Judicial Secretariat, a body responsible for the administrative services of Brazilian justice, to verify whether this sum had been paid.

On August 31, Judge Moraes ordered the blocking of access to the old Twitter to its approximately 22 million Brazilian users, accusing the platform of billionaire Elon Musk of not having respected legal decisions linked to the fight against disinformation. However, the platform temporarily became available again on September 18, due to a technical maneuver which made it possible to circumvent the blockage. X explained that this restoration of his service was an effect “involuntary” a change of server. But Judge Moraes refuted this argument and imposed new fines. The next day, the platform became inaccessible again in Brazil.

Alexandre de Moraes, a magistrate as powerful as he is divisive in Brazil, has been engaged in a standoff with Elon Musk for months, after having ordered the deletion of accounts of supporters of the far-right former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro suspected of disinformation. The billionaire had shouted at the “censorship” and had accused the magistrate of “dictator”even comparing him to Voldemort, the villain of the Harry Potter saga. But Elon Musk has been more discreet on the subject in recent days and X has shown himself willing to meet the necessary requirements for the suspension to be lifted.

The social network is committed to “protect freedom of expression within the limits of the law” and to respect “the sovereignty of countries” where it operates, in a message published recently on its account dedicated to relations with governments.