Brazilian prosecutors prosecute the Chinese car maker byd for working conditions Auto industry news

Prosecutors of the party claim that workers have been brought to Brazil illegally and supported them in “slavery -like conditions”.

Public Prosecutors of the Brazilian Labor Party filed a lawsuit against the Chinese The car manufacturer BYD and two contractors illegal allegations of illegal trafficking workers to live and work under “similar” conditions.

On Tuesday, public prosecutors, platforms to enforce labor laws, said in a statement that they would request 257 million rites ($ 45 million) as compensation from BYD as well as China Jinjiang Construction Brazil and Tecmonta EquiPamentos.

They accused the three companies of smuggling Chinese workers to build the BYD factory in Kamakari, in the northeastern state of Bahia. There, public prosecutors claim that companies are subject to workers due to “very humiliating” conditions.

“In December of last year, 220 Chinese workers were found in conditions similar to slavery and victims of international human trafficking,” the statement said.

The damage that the general prosecutors is searching for to a penalty of $ 50,000 (8,867 dollars) for each violation, multiplied by the number of affected workers, in addition to moral damage.

The lawsuit is the result of a police raid in December 2024, during which the authorities say it “saved” 163 Chinese workers from Jinjiang and 57 from TeCMonta.

Prosecutors say that the workers were victims of international human trafficking and they were brought to Brazil with visas that are not commensurate with their jobs.

They also claim that the conditions on the construction site left the workers almost completely dependent on their employers, by blocking up to 70 percent of their wages and imposing the costs of termination of the high contract. Some workers even have taken their passports, which limits their ability to leave, according to the prosecutors.

The lawsuit also describes the low living conditions, including some family without ranks.

“In one, only one toilet was determined for use by 31 people, forcing workers to wake up around four in the morning to wash themselves before their work day began,” the statement of the prosecutors notes.

Brazil is The largest market For BYD outside China. The Chinese car giant said he is committed to human rights, cooperates with the authorities and will respond to the lawsuit in the court.

A company spokesman said in December that weak working conditions were part of China’s mutilation and Chinese companies.

But the Brazilian workers’ public prosecutors rejected the idea that their lawsuit was based on the anti -Indian feelings.

“A very good lawsuit, with a large number of evidence presented during the investigation process,” Vice Prosecutor Fabio Lille said in an interview.

He stated that the workers, who have all returned to China, will receive any payments related to the case there, with companies in Brazil responsible for providing evidence of payment.