RIO DE JANEIRO—A U.S. congressional committee has made public confidential Brazilian court orders directing the suspension of accounts on the social media platform X, shedding light on decisions that have sparked allegations of censorship from the company and its billionaire owner Elon Musk.
The House Judiciary Committee, led by Republicans, released a staff report late Wednesday that revealed numerous rulings by Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes instructing X to suspend or delete approximately 150 user profiles from its platform in recent years.
The 541-page report was compiled as a result of committee subpoenas issued to X. Justice de Moraes had previously prohibited the company from disclosing these orders.
In a statement on X on April 15, the company said, “To comply with its obligations under U.S. law, X Corp. has responded to the Committee.”
This revelation comes amidst a conflict between Mr. Musk and Justice de Moraes.
Mr. Musk had pledged to publish Justice de Moraes’ orders, which he equated to censorship. His stance has garnered support from followers of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who claim they are facing political persecution, and have found solidarity with like-minded individuals in the United States.
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Justice de Moraes has been leading a five-year investigation into alleged “digital militias” who are said to disseminate defamatory fake news and threats against Supreme Court justices. The probe has expanded to encompass individuals inciting protests nationwide, aimed at overturning Mr. Bolsonaro’s defeat in the 2022 election. These demonstrations culminated in the January 8 breach in Brazil’s capital, where Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings, including the Supreme Court, in an effort to remove President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from power.
Critics of Justice de Moraes argue that he has overstepped his authority by unilaterally banning social media accounts, including those belonging to democratically elected officials.
The confidential orders unveiled by the congressional committee were issued by both Brazil’s Supreme Court and its top electoral court, which is currently under the jurisdiction of Justice de Moraes.
When contacted by The Associated Press, the press office of the Supreme Court declined to comment on the potential implications of the orders’ disclosure.
In a statement on Thursday afternoon, the Supreme Court’s press office clarified that the orders do not include justifications, but individuals and entities with suspended accounts can request access to the decisions from the court.
Brazil is a significant market for X and other social media platforms. Approximately 40 million Brazilians, or around 18% of the population, use X at least once a month, according to eMarketer.
X has complied with suspension orders under the threat of substantial fines. Justice de Moraes typically required compliance within two hours and imposed a daily fine of 100,000 reais ($20,000) for noncompliance.
It remains unclear whether the 150 suspended accounts constitute the total number ordered by Justice de Moraes. Prior to the committee’s report, it was unknown whether the total was a few, several dozen, or more. Some of the suspended accounts listed in the report have since been reinstated.
On April 6, Musk used X to challenge Justice de Moraes, questioning the extent of censorship in Brazil. The following day, he announced his refusal to adhere to court orders to block accounts, suggesting that Justice de Moraes should resign or face impeachment. Anticipating a potential shutdown of X in Brazil, he advised Brazilians to use a VPN to maintain access.
Justice de Moraes promptly included Mr. Musk in the investigation of digital militias and initiated a separate probe into allegations of obstruction, criminal organization, and incitement against the tech entrepreneur.
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