Brazil: Trump Media Group sues Brazilian judge over Bolsonaro’s arrest

President Trump’s media company has filed a lawsuit against a Brazilian Supreme Court justice, alleging that he unlawfully censored right-wing voices on social media.

The legal action comes at a significant moment, as the judge in question had just received an indictment requiring him to decide whether to authorize the arrest of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s former president and a close associate of Trump. 

The judge, Alexandre de Moraes, is overseeing multiple criminal cases involving Bolsonaro.

Trump Media and Technology Group, which is primarily owned by Donald Trump and operates the Truth Social platform, initiated the lawsuit in a US federal court in Tampa on Wednesday morning. 

The lawsuit also includes Rumble, a Florida-based video platform that, like Truth Social, promotes itself as a haven for free speech.

The companies contend that Justice Moraes has suppressed political discourse in the United States and violated the First Amendment by compelling Rumble to remove the accounts of certain right-wing Brazilian commentators. 

They argue that these restrictions extend to how those accounts appear in the US, thereby breaching American law. 

While. Trump’s company has not been directly affected by the judge’s orders, the lawsuit asserts that it relies on Rumble’s technology and could face repercussions if Rumble’s operations are disrupted.

Justice Moraes has defended his actions, stating that they are essential to safeguarding Brazil from anti-democratic activities linked to Bolsonaro and his supporters. His spokeswoman declined to provide an immediate response.

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