Elon Musk is currently involved in an investigation by Brazil’s Supreme Court into the spread of fake news and alleged obstruction of justice.

Judge Alexandre de Moraes accused Musk of waging a public “disinformation campaign” after Musk commented that his social media company X would no longer comply with a court order to block certain accounts on the platform.

Musk, who took over Twitter in late 2022 and soon changed his name to X, accused De Morais of suppressing free speech and violating Brazil’s constitution. Musk commented that Brazilian X users can use a VPN, or virtual private network, to bypass any restricted access to social media platforms.

Approximately 40 million Brazilians (18% of the population) use X at least once a month, making it an important market for the platform.

“But principles are more important than profits,” Musk wrote.

“The blatant obstruction of justice in Brazil, the incitement to commit crimes, the public threats to disobey court orders and the platform’s future non-cooperation are all facts that disrespect Brazil’s sovereignty,” de Morais wrote on Sunday.

The judge has faced fierce opposition from Brazil’s political right over accusations of suppressing free speech and engaging in witch hunts. In the current investigation, lawmakers from former President Jair Bolsonaro’s circle are targeted, and Bolsonaro himself is involved in the 2021 investigation.

“Including Elon Musk in a digital militia investigation is one thing, stopping X is another. Moraes acknowledged this, saying he was not inert in Elon Musk’s provocations,” Carlos Affonso, director of the Institute for Technology and Society think tank in Rio de Janeiro, told The Associated Press by phone from Washington. “This is a warning so as not to cross a line.”

Musk, who describes himself as a staunch supporter of free speech, announced on Saturday that X would lift all restrictions on blocked accounts. He predicted the action could lead to a drop in revenue in Brazil and could force the company’s local offices to close.

Chief Justice Luis Roberto Barroso said de Morais’ decision may be appealed, but not on the grounds that it violated Brazil’s constitution, as Musk said. Barroso also noted that every company operating in the country “abide by the constitution,” although he did not mention X or Musk by name.

Information for this report was provided in part by Reuters and The Associated Press.