A Brazilian Supreme Court panel on Monday upheld a decision to suspend Elon Musk's social media platform, X, in the country, according to the court's website. 

Last Friday, Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the platform blocked. 

Since the decision, Musk and his supporters have tried to paint de Moraes as a renegade and an authoritarian censor of political speech.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told CNN Brazil he was "satisfied" with the Supreme Court's decision.

He added that the Brazilian judiciary "may have given the important signal that the world is not obliged to put up with Musk's far-right ideology just because he is rich."

Why is X blocked in Brazil?

De Moraes' decision came after X, formerly Twitter, failed to comply with an order to name a new legal representative for the company in Brazil by a certain deadline.

Brazilian law requires all internet companies to have a legal representative in the country. This ensures someone can be notified of legal decisions and is qualified to take any requisite action.

However, earlier this month, X removed its legal representative from Brazil after de Moraes threatened her with arrest.

In the decision last Friday, de Moraes ordered the full and immediate suspension of X in Brazil until the company complies with all related court orders.

They include not only the nomination of a legal representative in Brazil but also the payment of fines amounting to 18.5 million reals (roughly $3.28 million, €3 million).

About 40 million Brazilians access X at least once per month, according to market research group Emarketer.

rmt/wmr (AP, Reuters)