Brazil's Attorney General's Office has recommended reinstating Elon Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter) after the South American country’s Supreme Court judges voted to uphold a ban in September.
The ban was first imposed by Justice Alexandre de Moraes after X refused to appoint legal representation to answer questions surrounding the spreading of fake news and hate speech on the platform.
Moreas, who Musk has labelled a “dictator” and enemy of free speech, has now said X has complied with the Supreme Court’s demands and met all the requirements to start operating again in the country.
“X is proud to return to Brazil, " the social media platform’s Global Government Affairs profile Tweeted. “Giving tens of millions of Brazilians access to our indispensable platform was paramount throughout this entire process.
“We will continue to defend freedom of speech, within the boundaries of the law, everywhere we operate.”
As the sixth largest market for X, the stakes are extremely high for Elon Musk’s company.
Musk has promoted himself as a crusader of free speech but has found himself walking a tightrope over ideology and basic business principles.
In September, X’s Global Government Affairs team said: “X is committed to protecting free speech within the boundaries of the law and we recognize and respect the sovereignty of the countries in which we operate.
“We believe that the people of Brazil having access to X is essential for a thriving democracy, and we will continue to defend freedom of expression and due process of law through legal processes.”