Brazil hits back at US criticism of Supreme Court decisions
The Brazilian government issued a statement on Wednesday (Feb. 26), criticizing the United States' stance on the Brazilian Supreme Court's decisions to suspend US social networks in the country.
Earlier, the US State Department released a note warning that "blocking access to information" or imposing fines on US companies is "incompatible with freedom of expression."
In a statement, Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “surprise” at the US declaration and “firmly rejects any attempt to politicize judicial decisions.” It emphasized the “importance of respecting the republican principle of the independence of powers, as outlined in Brazil's 1988 Federal Constitution.”
"The State Department's statement distorts the meaning of the Supreme Court's decisions, which aim to ensure the enforcement of Brazilian laws, including the requirement for all companies operating in Brazil to have legal representatives. Freedom of expression, a fundamental right enshrined in the Brazilian legal system, must be exercised in Brazil in accordance with all applicable laws, particularly those of a criminal nature," says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' note.
The ministry also notes that the "Brazilian state and its republican institutions were targeted by an anti-democratic campaign based on mass disinformation spread on social media." It further states that "the events surrounding the attempted coup against popular sovereignty following the 2022 presidential elections are under investigation by the Brazilian Judiciary."
In a post on the social media platform X, the US State Department asserts that "respect for sovereignty is a two-way street with all US partners, including Brazil." The message, shared on the US Embassy's Brazil profile, continues: "Blocking access to information and imposing fines on US-based companies for refusing to censor individuals in the USA is incompatible with democratic values, including freedom of expression."
The facts
On February 21, Justice Alexandre de Moraes of the Federal Supreme Court ordered the suspension of the American social network Rumble in Brazil. The decision followed the minister's observation that the company lacks a representative in the country.
The suspension was issued in the case in which the arrest and extradition of blogger Allan dos Santos, accused of spreading attacks on the Court's justices, was ordered. He currently resides in the United States.
According to Moraes, despite the suspension of his social media profiles, Allan continues to create new pages to persist in "committing crimes."
Rumble and Trump Media filed an appeal in a Florida court, accusing Moraes of "censoring" the platforms and suspending user accounts. The US court, however, denied the injunction.
In another initiative, the Judiciary Committee of the US House of Representatives approved a bill, on Wednesday (26), targeting foreign authorities who allegedly violate the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects freedom of expression. The bill, which specifically names the Brazilian Supreme Court justice, seeks to ban such authorities from entering the US and allows for their deportation.
Among the justifications for approving the bill are the European Union's actions against disinformation on social media and Justice Alexandre de Moraes' decision to suspend accounts under investigation for crimes on these platforms.
