MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil's STF upholds ban on Rumble

The STF's First Chamber concurred with the vote of case rapporteur Alexandre De Moraes

The Supreme Federal Court (STF) of Brazil unanimously upheld the suspension of the Rumble social network, citing its lack of a legal representative in the country. Minister Alexandre de Moraes highlighted Rumble's use for spreading hate speech and attacks on democracy. Separately, the Attorney General's Office (PGR) opposed former President Jair Bolsonaro's appeal to remove ministers Flávio Dino and Cristiano Zanin from his coup plot trial, stating there were no legal grounds for their dismissal. Bolsonaro's trial, involving seven others, is set for March 25.

Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) ruled Friday against lifting the suspension of the Rumble social network after its First Chamber voted unanimously in that regard, endorsing the decision of case rapporteur Justice Alexandre De Moraes, who suspended the company's activities in the country on Feb. 21 after finding it lacked a legal representative as required by law followinng the resignation of the previous attorneys with noo new ones appointed. Virtual voting began March 7 and closed Friday, with Justices Flávio Dino, Cristiano Zanin, Cármen Lúcia, and Luiz Fux casting concurring opinions.

The suspension took place in the same process in which the arrest and extradition of the blogger Allan dos Santos was determined. He was accused of disseminating attacks on the Court's judges. He currently lives in the United States.

According to De Moraes, despite the decision to suspend his profiles on social networks, Dos Santos continues to create new pages to keep “committing crimes.”

The magistrate also said that Rumble has been used for the “dissemination of various hate speeches, attacks on democracy and incitement to disrespect the national judiciary.”

Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski said on X that he would not comply with the legal determinations of the STF.

In another case involving the same STF panel, the Office of the Prosecution (PGR) issued an opinion against former President Jair Bolsonaro's request to recuse Dino and Zanin in the coup plot case against him. Both magistrates were appointed by the incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The trial of Bolsonaro and seven other defendants is to begin on March 25. The former President's legal team had appealed Chief Justice Luís Roberto Barroso's ruling not to remove the two judges from the panel.

Bolsonaro's lawyers had requested the case be heard by the STF all 11 justices, including André Mendonça and Nunes Marques, who were both appointed during the Bolsonaro administration.

“The events pointed out by the aggravating circumstance as compromising impartiality are incompatible with the hypotheses provided for in article 144 of the CPC [Code of Civil Procedure] and article 252 of the CPP [Code of Criminal Procedure]. In addition, as summarized in the aggravated decision, the jurisprudence of the Federal Supreme Court does not admit an extensive or broad interpretation of the exhaustive role of impediment provided for in the criminal procedural legislation,” Attorney General Paulo Gonet argued.

The former president's defense also contended that Dino had filed a criminal complaint against Bolsonaro when he held the position of Justice Minister in the first months of Lula's government. It also pointed out that Zanin had been Lula's lawyer and filed actions against Bolsonaro's candidacy in the 2022 elections.

(Source: Agencia Brasil)