X, the social media platform, paid a substantial fine of R$ 28.6 million ($5.1 million) to Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court in an effort to resume operation.
This payment aimed to lift the suspension imposed on the platform in late August. The fine breakdown includes R$ 18 million ($3.3 million) from X and Starlink accounts, both owned by Elon Musk.
An additional R$ 10 million ($1.8 million) stems from access through Cloudflare. The company’s legal representative, Rachel Villa Nova, faced a R$ 300,000 ($55,000) penalty.
X submitted a petition to Justice Alexandre de Moraes, requesting the platform’s unblocking. Moraes instructed the STF’s Judicial Secretariat to verify the fine payment. He will then evaluate the unblocking request.
However, a complication arose in the payment process. Moraes said that X deposited the fine amount into an incorrect account. The company used a Caixa account instead of the required judicial account at Banco do Brasil.
Moraes ordered the immediate transfer of funds to the correct account. He emphasized the need for proper payment regularization before considering the unblocking request. The minister also directed the Attorney General’s Office to provide an opinion on the matter.
X Pays Millions to Regain Brazilian Market Access
The platform’s suspension followed X’s closure of its Brazilian office. This action violated the country’s requirement for companies to maintain local representation. Elon Musk announced this closure after X received fines for non-compliance with court orders.
These orders demanded the removal of profiles under investigation for posting allegedly anti-democratic messages. X’s refusal to comply led to the imposed penalties and subsequent operational suspension.
Recently, X reactivated its legal representation in Brazil. Rachel Villa Nova resumed her role as the company’s legal representative. With this reactivation and the fine payment, X hopes to restore its operations in the country.
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