Elon Musk Slams Judge Threatening to Suspend X in Brazil

Elon Musk has intensified his online criticisms of a Brazilian Supreme Court judge, Alexandre de Moraes, who has threatened to suspend Musk’s social media platform, X, in Brazil. Musk labeled de Moraes as “an evil dictator” in an ongoing dispute between them.

Justice de Moraes had warned that he would suspend X if Musk did not appoint a new legal representative in Brazil and pay any outstanding fines within 24 hours. In response, Musk, who previously referred to de Moraes as “Darth Vader,” posted on X, calling the judge “an evil dictator cosplaying as a judge.” Musk also shared a message from X’s Global Government Affairs team, indicating that the company would soon publish the judge’s “illegal demands and all related court filings.”

Brazil represents a significant market for social media, with around 40 million Brazilians—about 18% of the population—using X at least once a month, according to the Associated Press.

This exchange is the latest development in a feud between Musk and de Moraes, centered on disputes over free speech and claims of disinformation. Earlier this month, X announced that it would close its operations and lay off staff in Brazil, citing what it described as “censorship orders” from the judge. De Moraes had previously instructed the platform to block several accounts he claimed were spreading disinformation.

The Supreme Court, through its official X account, shared the latest order signed by de Moraes, which also tagged both Musk and X’s Global Government Affairs account. This statement, posted around 8:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, gave Musk until Thursday evening to respond.

On August 17, X issued a detailed statement saying it would be forced to shut down its operations in Brazil and dismiss its staff due to de Moraes’ “censorship orders.” The statement expressed disappointment that their appeals to the Supreme Court had gone unheard and accused de Moraes of threatening the company’s staff in Brazil rather than respecting the law and due process. As a result, X decided to close its operations in Brazil to protect its employees, while the platform itself remains available to Brazilian users. Musk reiterated this position later that day, stating that X had “no choice” but to cease its Brazilian operations due to de Moraes’ demands, which he claimed would force the company to violate various laws.