Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has unfrozen the bank accounts of the social media platform X and the satellite internet company Starlink after ordering the transfer of more than $3m owed in fines.
In a statement on Friday, the country’s highest court said the Brazilian government retrieved 7.2 million Brazilian reais ($1.3m) from an X bank account and almost 11 million Brazilian reais ($1.9m) from a Starlink account to settle the fines.
“After the payment of the full amount that was owed, Justice [de Moraes] considered there was no need to keep the bank accounts frozen and ordered the immediate unfreezing of bank accounts/financial assets,” the statement says.
De Moraes previously made the controversial decision to ban X in Brazil after its owner, right-wing billionaire Elon Musk, refused to comply with court orders to remove accounts accused of spreading misinformation.
The social media platform also failed to meet a deadline to name a legal representative in Brazil, as required by law.
Musk owns both X and Starlink and initially, after the court’s ban on X, Starlink representatives reportedly indicated their internet service would not comply with the restriction.
Still, the decision to penalise both X and Starlink has been questioned by legal analysts since they function as separate companies.
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