Brazil: Justice speaks of sovereignty, independence after US criticism
Justice Alexandre de Moraes (photo) of the Brazilian Supreme Court delivered a speech on Thursday (Feb. 27) defending Brazil's independence and sovereignty, a day after the government of US President Donald Trump criticized his rulings on US social media companies.
Moraes made the remarks during a Supreme Court session, referencing the establishment of the United Nations (UN) headquarters in the United States 73 years ago to uphold the self-determination of peoples and respect for national independence. He emphasized the importance of defending democracy and Brazil's sovereignty.
“We ceased to be a colony on September 7, 1822. With courage we are building an independent and democratic republic,” he said.
On Wednesday (26), the Brazilian government had already issued a statement criticizing the United States for opposing Brazil’s Supreme Court decisions that regulate the operations of US social media platforms in the country, including the imposition of fines for non-compliance with Brazilian law.
The Brazilian statement was released after the US State Department issued a message warning that “blocking access to information” or imposing fines on US companies is “incompatible with freedom of expression.”
Rumble
Last week, Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the suspension of the social network Rumble after determining that the company lacks a local representative, which violates Brazilian law. According to case documents, the company's lawyers have resigned, and no new representatives have been appointed.
