Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has lifted the freeze on the Starlink and X bank accounts.
Before releasing the accounts, the judge ordered the transfer of 18.35 million reais ($3.3 million) from the companies’ accounts to the Brazilian national treasury. These funds are intended to cover fines imposed by the court.
The fines stem from the companies’ failure to comply with Brazilian court orders, including not appointing a local legal representative and failing to remove certain content from the platform that Justice de Moraes claims is spreading “fake news” and posing a threat to democracy.
Starlink and X Bank Accounts Unfrozen
Justice de Moraes imposed the fines as part of an ongoing legal dispute between Brazil’s Supreme Court and X owner, Elon Musk. The judge claims the fines were necessary due to Musk’s refusal to comply with court orders, including removing posts critical of the Brazilian government. The legal battles led to the total blackout of X in Brazil, the platform’s sixth-largest market.
