In Brazil, a judge orders an investigation into Elon Musk.

Judge Alexandre de Moraes accused the owner of the platform “X” of “criminal instrumentalization” of the social network, according to the judge’s ruling obtained by the AFP news agency.

Social network X must refrain from defying court orders and restoring accounts suspended by the Supreme Court, the judge warned. Moraes indicated that the world’s richest man could be fined 18,500 euros for each account whose activity was restored.

In recent years, Moraes has ordered the closure of “X” (formerly Twitter) accounts suspected of spreading disinformation, stressing that “social media is not a land of lawlessness.”

On Saturday, Musk published a series of X posts attacking the Brazilian judge, saying Moraes had “clearly and repeatedly betrayed the Brazilian constitution and people.” He acknowledged that X may lose revenue and close its office in Brazil, “but principles are more important than profits.”

Moraes is one of 11 judges of the Brazilian Supreme Court and also heads the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. He has been criticized for suppressing free speech in Brazil, while others praise him as a defender of democracy.

The judge has led the fight against disinformation in recent years, including shutting down the social media accounts of several influential people. Most of them are supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

In response to Musk’s attack on the judge, Brazil’s Attorney General Jorge Messias called for “urgent regulation of social media” because “we cannot live in a society where billionaires living in foreign countries control social media and show that they want to overturn the rule of law.” disobey court orders and threaten our authorities.”