The Chief Justice of Brazil's supreme court, Luis Roberto Barroso, highlighted the importance of constitutional adherence for all companies operating in the country, refraining from singling out any specific entity. His statement followed a decision by one of the court's judges to launch an inquiry into the actions of Elon Musk, the owner of social media platform X, as reported by Reuters.
Barroso emphasized that while court decisions can be appealed, deliberate non-compliance is not tolerated within Brazil's legal framework. "Any companies operating in brazil are certainly subject to the Federal Constitution, the laws, and decisions of the Brazilian authorities," he asserted. This statement was made in response to Musk's challenge against a court directive instructing X to restrict certain accounts.
Musk's remarks on X accusing Justice Alexandre de Moraes of betraying the constitution and the people of brazil prompted Moraes to initiate an inquiry into Musk's conduct. Musk accused Moraes of imposing massive fines, threatening to arrest employees, and cutting off access to X in brazil, potentially leading to revenue loss and office closure.
Justice Moraes is currently investigating allegations of "digital militias" involved in spreading false information and hate speech during the administration of former President Jair Bolsonaro. He is also overseeing an inquiry into an alleged coup attempt involving Bolsonaro.
In response to Musk's statements, Chief Justice Barroso reaffirmed the supreme Court's commitment to safeguarding Brazil's institutions. Brazil's Institutional Relations Minister, Alexandre Padilha, condemned the attack on Justice Moraes, stating that it is not only an assault on an individual but also on the integrity of the Brazilian supreme court and the nation's sovereignty advocates.
