A unanimous decision by a group of federal supreme court justices in Brazil has resulted in the nationwide prohibition of Elon Musk’s social platform, X.

Justice Luiz Fux supported the decision but voiced concerns about a clause in the suspension order that permits fines for individuals or entities attempting to circumvent the block, such as by using VPNs.

Primarily driven by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the court issued the contentious suspension orders on a Friday, following a warning given to Musk and X on the preceding Wednesday. Failure to appoint legal representation within 24 hours would lead to the “suspension of activities.” X had earlier failed to adhere to requests to remove content breaching Brazil’s regulations on political misinformation and online hate speech.

Additionally, the court froze the financial assets of Starlink, a satellite internet service owned by Musk, as a measure to ensure compliance with the imposed fines by his social network.

Brazil’s telecom regulatory body, Anatel, directed internet providers to block access to X until compliance was achieved. Despite being instructed, Starlink expressed reluctance to abide by the orders, risking potential license revocation in Brazil.

The enforcement of the suspension on X was swift, rendering the app mostly inaccessible to users in Brazil by early Saturday. This country, a significant non-NATO ally to the U.S., boasts a highly internet-connected population.

Musk and his companies have vehemently opposed de Moraes’ actions, labeling them as “unlawful” and alleging a lack of due process in issuing the court orders. Musk’s criticism intensified over the weekend, culminating in calls for de Moraes’ impeachment and a cessation of U.S. foreign aid to Brazil.

The ban on X in Brazil has spurred conflicting opinions among users and policymakers, with many struggling to adapt to alternative social media platforms in the absence of X’s services.

While SpaceX and Musk refrained from immediate comments, Musk’s advocacy for free speech has been scrutinized due to his selective content moderation, including the removal of dissenting views in certain regions.

Despite the ongoing controversy, some users in Brazil have begun transitioning to other social networks, as evidenced by increased engagement on platforms like Bluesky in recent times.