Brazilian prosecutors have filed a major lawsuit against Chinese electric vehicle company BYD, along with two of its contractors.
Workers Found in Degrading Conditions
These legal actions follow disturbing discoveries at a factory construction site in the Brazilian city of Camaçari, located in the northeastern state of Bahia. The prosecutors say they found serious violations of labor rights, including conditions similar to slavery.
The complaint seeks damages of 257 million Brazilian reais, or around $50 million. The companies being sued are BYD, China JinJiang Construction Brazil, and Tecmonta Equipamentos Inteligentes. 220 Chinese laborers were allegedly transported to Brazil under false pretenses, according to authorities. The workers were promised one kind of job, but ended up doing different types of labor. Even the visas given to them did not match the work they were actually doing.
An investigation by labor prosecutors revealed that the living conditions for these workers were extremely poor. Some people, working under BYD’s construction project, slept on beds without mattresses. Their personal items were stored right next to their food. In many cases, the number of toilets available was far too low for the number of people living in each space. Thirty-one employees shared a single restroom. This forced them to wake up as early as 4 a.m. just to wash up before going to work.
The housing conditions, reportedly maintained by BYD’s contractors, were also unsanitary. None of the restrooms were gender-segregated, and there weren’t enough. This raised concerns about the safety and privacy of the workers. According to the prosecutors, five separate housing locations, or settlements, were operated by the companies involved in BYD’s Brazil project, and all were found to have major problems.
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Accusations of Human Trafficking
The Brazilian government has also raised the issue of international human trafficking in this case. Prosecutors say the workers were lured from China with misleading job offers. Once in Brazil, the workers were given tasks they did not sign up for, often under very harsh and unsafe conditions. This mismatch between the job offer and the actual work done is a major point in the legal case.
Officials claim that the companies engaged brought the workers into the nation by making these fraudulent promises. The workers were then kept in poor living conditions and made to work in roles that were different from what was legally permitted under their visas. This has led Brazilian prosecutors to treat the case as not only a labor violation but also a serious case of international human trafficking.
Brazilian labor laws protect all workers in the country, regardless of their nationality. Any company operating in Brazil is required to follow these rules. That includes providing safe housing, fair wages, and legal work conditions. Violating these laws, especially by bringing in workers under false claims, is considered a major offense.
Companies Respond to Allegations
After the lawsuit was made public, BYD responded by saying it has been cooperating with the investigation since the beginning. The company also stated that it respects Brazilian laws and international labor standards. It added that it will speak more on the issue as the legal process continues.
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Earlier, in December, a spokesperson from BYD had denied the accusations. They said the reports about the poor working conditions were being used to damage the reputation of Chinese companies. The spokesperson described the claims as an attempt to “smear” Chinese brands, rather than a fair report on labor conditions.
Despite these statements, Brazilian prosecutors remain firm in their findings. They say the evidence collected during the investigation clearly shows that workers were kept in degrading, unsafe, and illegal conditions at the BYD factory site. Photographs and testimonies collected during the investigation support these claims. The case has sparked concern in Brazil over the treatment of foreign workers and has raised questions about how companies like BYD manage large construction projects involving international labor.
The investigation began after workers were rescued from BYD’s construction site last year. Since then, officials have been building their case by speaking to the workers, examining their living conditions, and reviewing how the companies involved operated the site. The findings were strong enough to lead to a formal lawsuit against three companies, including BYD.
The Brazilian legal system is now handling the case. Authorities are asking for a large sum in damages to reflect the seriousness of the violations. They argue that the money should be used to repair the harm done to the workers and to serve as a warning against such practices in the future.
This case has drawn attention both in Brazil and internationally. It highlights the importance of treating workers fairly and following labor laws, especially in large construction projects involving global companies such as BYD.