A block on Elon Musk’s X social network in Brazil took effect early Saturday following a Supreme Court judge’s order for its suspension, according to AFP. Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes issued the suspension on Friday after a prolonged standoff with Musk over disinformation in Brazil. Moraes made the ruling because Musk failed to appoint a new legal representative for X, formerly known as Twitter.

By early Saturday, access to X was restricted for some Brazilian users, who received messages asking them to reload their browsers without successful login. Musk, who also owns Tesla and SpaceX, reacted angrily to the judge’s decision, calling Moraes an “evil dictator” and accusing him of trying to destroy democracy in Brazil. “Free speech is the bedrock of democracy, and an unelected judge in Brazil is undermining it for political purposes,” tweeted Musk, who has displayed increasing alignment with right-wing politics.

The ongoing feud between Musk and Moraes centers on the judge’s efforts to combat disinformation in Brazil. Musk, a self-declared “free speech absolutist,” has faced criticism for allegedly turning X into a platform for right-wing conspiracy theories since his 2022 takeover. He also supports former US President Donald Trump’s bid to reclaim the White House.

Moraes ordered the “immediate, complete, and comprehensive suspension” of X in Brazil and instructed the national communications agency to enforce the order within 24 hours. He threatened a fine of 50,000 reais ($8,900) for anyone using methods like VPNs to bypass the block. Additionally, the judge initially demanded Google, Apple, and internet providers to block the X app and website, although he later rescinded that order.

X has over 22 million users in Brazil. Earlier this month, Musk shut down X’s business operations in Brazil, alleging that Moraes threatened the company’s former legal representative with arrest to enforce “censorship orders.” On Wednesday, Moraes gave Musk 24 hours to appoint a new representative or face suspension. After the deadline, X stated it expected Moraes to shut it down for not complying with his “illegal orders.”

The conflict began when Moraes suspended several X accounts of supporters of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who attempted to discredit the 2022 election results. Brazilian authorities are investigating whether Bolsonaro planned a coup to prevent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office in January 2023. Moraes has also ordered investigations into Musk for allegedly reactivating banned accounts.

On Thursday, Musk’s satellite internet company Starlink reported receiving an order from Moraes that froze its accounts and halted financial transactions in Brazil. Starlink claimed the order inaccurately held it responsible for fines against X. The company plans to challenge this legally.

Musk is also under judicial investigation for allegedly using public funds to orchestrate disinformation campaigns in support of Bolsonaro and his allies. “Any investor in Brazil is subject to the Brazilian Constitution and laws,” President Lula stated in a local radio interview. “Who does Musk think he is?”