Brazil’s deforestation crisis is also a modern slavery crisis

In Brazil, the same industries that clear forests are also trapping workers in slave-like conditions. Behind cattle, charcoal and sugarcane production are thousands of people facing threats, unsafe conditions and extreme exploitation. Over three decades, the majority of rescued workers were found in sectors linked to environmental destruction—exposing how vulnerability and weak protections allow abuse to flourish.

Forest loss, isolation and forced labor

In June 2025, three men were rescued from a farm in São Félix do Xingu, Pará. They had been hired to clear forest to open pasture. Instead, they were threatened, denied drinking water and protective equipment, and forced to sleep in a pigsty.

Their case is far from isolated. As Brasil de Fato reports:

When combined with other activities such as cattle ranching, charcoal production, mining and sugarcane cultivation, the share of slave labor cases linked to activities that cause severe environmental degradation rises to 57% of the 67,058 workers rescued nationwide over the same period.

Cattle ranching alone accounts for 26% of all rescued workers. It is also the leading driver of deforestation in Brazil. In the Amazon, 9 million hectares of forest were converted into pasture in the past decade. Authorities have identified a consistent link between illegal land clearing and labor abuse. Brazil’s Labor Prosecutor’s Office (MPT) said in a statement:

Activities involving illegal vegetation clearing are usually linked to cases in which workers are subjected to conditions analogous to slavery.

These jobs often take place in remote areas, where inspections are rare and workers are isolated. Recruiters frequently target men from poorer regions, promising income and steady work. Once on site, workers may face debt, threats, degrading living conditions and exposure to toxic chemicals without protection.

In August 2025, authorities rescued 17 more workers from another farm in São Félix do Xingu. They had no formal contracts or regulated hours. Some slept under tarps; one slept in a chicken coop. Although protective equipment was present on the farm, it was not given to workers handling pesticides.

Climate crisis, displacement and vulnerability

The same industries linked to forced labor also undermine the livelihoods of Indigenous peoples, riverine communities and small farmers. As forests are cleared and land is grabbed, communities lose access to their traditional ways of life. This creates vulnerability. For example, people who lose land or income are more likely to accept risky job offers that can result in exploitation. Additionally, some are pushed into migration—often without protections or safe routes available—where they face a higher risk of exploitation.

Further, the climate crisis deepens this risk. Floods, droughts and extreme weather destroy crops and homes. When families can no longer survive on their land, they may turn to precarious work in agriculture, mining, construction or domestic labor—sectors already known for labor abuses in Brazil.

Exploitation is not accidental. It thrives where there is economic instability, weak enforcement, poor labor protections and supply chains that reward low costs over human rights. And in Brazil, exploitation is perpetuated due to conditions of poverty, displacement, environmental destruction and corporate impunity.

That is why Freedom United is calling for laws that put people before profit. Governments must strengthen labor protections, enforce environmental laws, hold companies accountable across their supply chains and protect communities from displacement. Without strong laws and real enforcement, the cycle of vulnerability and exploitation will continue.