Starlink Watch
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· Company action

Brazil's Supreme Court suspends X nationwide and freezes Starlink's local bank accounts

What he said or did

Justice Moraes ordered the immediate suspension of X after it failed to name a legal representative in Brazil, a day after freezing Starlink's Brazilian accounts to cover X's fines on the grounds the companies were part of the same economic group.

Background

The order required payment of fines of about 18.5 million reais and set fines of up to 50,000 reais a day for using VPNs to access X. Starlink said the freeze was based on an unfounded determination that it was responsible for X's fines.

Official response

Musk accused Moraes of having repeatedly broken the laws he has sworn to uphold. A Supreme Court panel upheld the suspension. President Lula told CNN Brasil: o mundo não é obrigado aguentar o vale-tudo de extrema-direita de Musk só porque ele é rico (the world is not obliged to put up with Musk's far-right free-for-all just because he is rich) (CartaCapital).

What happened next

X paid about US$5.5 million in fines (after an initial payment to the wrong account, using funds including Starlink's), named a legal representative and blocked accounts named by the court; Moraes ordered X restored on 8 October 2024.

Sources

This entry records what was publicly said or done, as reported by the sources above. Quotes are attributed to the person who made them.

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