After several weeks of heightened tensions between Elon Musk and Brazilian authorities, the tech mogul has complied with the demands of a Brazilian judge by appointing a legal representative for his social media company, X, as shown in recent court filings.
This move comes as a part of an agreement to lift the ban on X in Brazil, which had been in place due to a dispute over the removal of certain accounts.
Late last month, X was suspended in Brazil following an intensifying conflict with Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
Moraes had ordered the platform to delete accounts associated with conservative figures and groups, which Musk initially refused, leading to the closure of X’s operations in Brazil.
Musk’s defiance extended to missing a legal deadline set by Brazilian law for appointing a local legal representative, prompting Moraes to block access to the platform and freeze the bank accounts of both X and Musk’s other business, Starlink. The latter action was justified by Moraes’ assertion that the two companies function as a single economic entity.
Moraes, known for his stringent efforts against online misinformation and extremism, has been a polarizing figure in this saga. His stance has, however, received support from influential Brazilian politicians, including other members of the Supreme Court and the left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Following the platform’s suspension, President Lula remarked on what he thinks is the necessity of the global community to resist Musk.
The legal standoff seemed to be nearing its end when representatives for X disclosed the appointment of Rachel de Oliveira Villa Nova Conceição as the company’s legal representative in Brazil, a role she had held previously before Musk shut down the São Paulo City in Brazil office.
One attorney, Sérgio Rosenthal, stated in a text message to The New York Times on Thursday that X intends to adhere to all judicial directives to deactivate accounts. “The objective is to rectify the company’s status in Brazil,” he mentioned.
Another lawyer, André Zonaro Giacchetta, remarked on Saturday morning that the prerequisites for returning to Brazil “have been fulfilled, though it hinges on the evaluation by” Brazil’s Supreme Court.
