Controversial Brazilian Justice Alexandre de Moraes has ordered a nationwide suspension of the video-sharing platform Rumble, citing its refusal to comply with legal directives. The Brazilian Supreme Court justice issued the ruling on Friday, accusing the platform of deliberately evading Brazil’s judicial system.

The conflict escalated after Moraes demanded on Thursday that Rumble appoint a legal representative in Brazil within 48 hours. The company did not respond to the directive, prompting the justice to take action.

According to pro-censorship Justice, Rumble has exhibited a pattern of non-compliance, showing a “repeated, conscious, and willing” disregard for Brazil’s legal framework. A key issue in the dispute is Rumble’s failure to remove the account of Allan dos Santos, a Brazilian fugitive residing in the United States since 2020. Dos Santos, a vocal supporter of former President Jair Bolsonaro, has been the subject of legal actions in Brazil.

A tweet from Chris Pavlovski addressing Alexandre, rejecting what he describes as an illegal and secret order, stating it lacks authority over Rumble in the USA.

“I determine the immediate, complete, and total suspension of the operations of ‘Rumble INC.’ in national territory until all court orders issued in these proceedings – including the payment of fines – are complied with, and a legal or natural person is designated in court as the representative in national territory,” the ruling stated.

In response, Rumble denounced the suspension, describing it as “unprecedented censorship in Brazil.”

“Justice de Moraes demanded that Rumble remove specific content and halt financial transactions related to individuals exercising their free speech rights under US law,” the company said in a statement to the press. “Our commitment to free expression and adherence to US legal standards compelled us to reject these extraterritorial censorship demands.” Rumble also stated that it is exploring all legal avenues to challenge the ruling.

Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski addressed de Moraes directly in a tweet, rejecting what he called an illegal and secret order that he believes has no authority over a US-based platform. In a follow-up post, he declared, “Make Brazil Free Again” and assured Brazilians that he would fight relentlessly for their freedom of expression.

Rumble and Truth Social’s parent company, TMTG, have filed a lawsuit in Florida, arguing that Moraes’ secret censorship orders targeting US users violate the First Amendment.