Brazil's court unfreezes accounts of X, Starlink following $3 mn transfer

After directing the transfer of more than $ 3 million in outstanding fines, Justice Alexandre de Moraes of the Brazilian Supreme Court has unfrozen the bank accounts of the satellite internet company Starlink and the social media platform X, reported Al Jazeera.

The Brazilian government collected 7.2 million Brazilian reais ($1.3m) from an X bank account and over 11 million Brazilian reais ($1.9m) from a Starlink account to pay the penalty, according to a statement released by the highest court of the nation on Friday.

"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 said.

Previously, De Moraes took the contentious decision to outlaw X in Brazil when Elon Musk, the company's billionaire owner, disobeyed court orders to take down accounts that were allegedly disseminating false information.

In addition, the social media network missed a legally mandated deadline to designate a legal representation in Brazil, reported Al Jazeera.

Musk is the owner of both Starlink and X, and Starlink personnel allegedly stated their internet service will not abide by the limitation at first following the court's order on X.

Musk referred to de Moraes as an "evil dictator" after the court decided to shut X.

Musk also sympathised to those who supported Jair Bolsonaro, the erstwhile right-wing leader of Brazil, who disseminated unverified information on the October 2022 election, which he lost, Al Jazeera reported.

Bolsonaro's followers eventually invaded the nation's legislature on January 8, 2023, calling for a military coup to overturn his defeat.

Since then, Bolsonaro has been unable to hold public office until 2030, and similar to Musk, he and Justice de Moraes have clashed over investigations into his behaviour.