Justice Alexander de Moraes of Brazil Supreme Court has started an investigation of billionaire owner of the social network X formally known as Twitter on Sunday. The investigation is concerning the possibility of Musk to have obstructed justice who stated over the weekend that he would defy court’s order to restrict or suspend some popular X accounts.
Moraes ordered that Musk should be included in a broader inquiry called “digital militias,” a term applied to people accused of spreading misinformation online to attack democratic institutions in Brazil
According to Moraes, Musk wrote on Saturday on his X account in response to earlier court orders: “We are lifting all restrictions. This judge has applied massive fines, threatened to arrest our employees and cut off access to in Brazil. As a result, we will probably lose all revenue in Brazil and have to shut down our office there. But principles matter more than profit.
On Sunday, the tech billionaire also threatened to publish information from inside X that would paint Moraes as a traitor to his own country.
He wrote, “Coming shortly, will publish everything demanded by [Alexandre de Moraes] and how those requests violate Brazilian law. This judge has brazenly and repeatedly betrayed the constitution and people of Brazil. He should resign or be impeached. Shame [Alexandre de Moraes], shame.”
Continuing, Moraes sad that for each account that X reinstates against Brazil’s Supreme Court orders, the court will fine Musk and company 100,000 reais (almost $20,000) each per day, according to filings. Those involved will also be held accountable in Brazil for defying the court’s orders.
Justice Moraes wrote in his decision that “Social networks are not a lawless land!” And he said that Musk’s statements show that X protects those who promote criminal activities against the democracy of Brazil.
