Brasilia, August 30-   In a controversial move, social media giant X (formerly known as Twitter) has withdrawn its legal representative from Brazil, defying a Brazilian law that mandates all internet companies to maintain a representative within the country. This decision comes amid escalating tensions between X's owner, Elon Musk, and Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

The conflict began when Justice Moraes reportedly threatened to arrest the legal representative of X in Brazil. Deutsche Welle reported that X had been given a deadline until Thursday to appoint a new representative or face a potential shutdown in the country. In response to these demands, Musk publicly criticized the judge, accusing him of acting like an "arbitrary and dictator."

Taking to his platform, Musk described Justice Moraes as a "heinous criminal masquerading as a judge," sparking further controversy over the role of the judiciary in regulating online speech and platform operations.

The situation escalated over disputes on whether Justice Moraes has the authority to block certain accounts on X for allegedly disseminating false or misleading information. Musk has labeled these directives as acts of censorship, arguing that they threaten free speech and undermine the open nature of the internet.

This standoff highlights the growing friction between technology companies and governments worldwide over issues of regulation, content moderation, and the balance between security and freedom of expression. The outcome of this conflict could set a precedent for how international tech companies navigate local laws and regulations in Brazil and beyond.