Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, engaged in a merciless battle against Elon Musk, has ordered the transfer to the state of more than three million dollars blocked in the accounts of the American billionaire’s companies, the court announced on Friday, September 13. Alexandre de Moraes has “decided on the transfer (to the State) of 18.35 million reais ($3.28 million) blocked” on the accounts in Brazil of X and the satellite company Starlink, the court said in a note, specifying that the rendering was dated Wednesday.
This sanction is imposed on Elon Musk’s companies as fines not paid by X, a social network blocked in the country by order of the same judge de Moraes since August 30. Alexandre de Moraes accuses X of not having suspended accounts accused of spreading false information and of having refused to appoint a legal representative in Brazil. In addition to having closed the platform, the judge froze the assets in the country of X and Starlink, a satellite Internet access provider, in order to guarantee the payment of the fines imposed on X.
Some 22 million people used the social network in Brazil, Latin America’s largest market. The suspension of X fueled debates over freedom of expression and sparked protests in the country, including by former President Jair Bolsonaro, who called Alexandre de Moraes a “dictator”.
