Brazil’s top labor inspector was fired just days after he added Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD to the country’s official registry of companies linked to slave-like labor conditions. The dismissal has fueled allegations of political interference to protect powerful corporations from accountability for exploitation and human trafficking
April 6: BYD added to Brazil’s “list of shame” for severely exploiting workers
On April 6, Brazil’s labor inspection authority formally added BYD to its “list of shame.” This official registry flags employers that have subjected workers to conditions of modern slavery.
According to a report by Reuters,
The list, published by Brazil’s Labor Ministry, carries further reputational risk for the automaker in its biggest market after China. It also bars BYD from obtaining certain types of loans from Brazilian banks, but does not affect the operation of its sole auto plant in the country that the workers were hired to build.
Inspectors placed BYD on the list following a major 2024 investigation. Findings exposed severe abuses at the construction site of its factory in the Brazilian state of Bahia. Investigators found that BYD bore direct responsibility for the exploitation of more than 200 Chinese workers.
According to a labor contract seen by Reuters,
Chinese workers hired by Jinjiang in Brazil had to hand over their passports to their new employer, let most of their wages be sent directly to China, and fork over an almost $900 deposit that they could only get back after six months’ work.
When labor inspectors raided the site in 2024, they described the living and working conditions as “slavery-like.” They found the workers crammed in lodgings without mattresses, with 31 workers crammed in a single house with only one bathroom, and food piled up on the ground.
The inspector rejected BYD’s defence that subcontractors were responsible, concluding the company itself was accountable.
April 13: Inspector fired for adding BYD to “list of shame”
Just one week later, on April 13, the top labor inspector who had just added BYD to the list was fired by the Brazilian government.
Brazil’s National Association of Labor Inspectors, known as Anafitra, condemned the firing as retaliation. Rodrigo Carvalho, who sits on the executive committee of Anafitra, told Reuters,
The dismissal of an official for enforcing the law is an extremely grave act. It weakens the autonomy of labour inspection and endangers a public policy built over decades.
Additionally, Anafitra accused the Labor Minister in the Brazilian government of using his position to override enforcement decisions and protect major corporations from the consequences of slave labor findings. And this is not the first time such an allegation has been made.
In 2025, the same Labor Minister made unusual final reviews of labor inspectors’ investigations to bar the inclusion of other corporations. One included a division of Brazilian meatpacker JBS, a company that has repeatedly been linked to exploitative child labor.
A global pattern of denial and pressure
The controversy reflects broader concerns about political protection of forced labor linked to Chinese supply chains.
China faces ongoing scrutiny over state-imposed Uyghur forced labor. Advocates warn that similar patterns—denial, pressure, and interference—are now shaping overseas business operations.
This case is not just about one company—it exposes a global system where forced labor can enter supply chains unchecked. With around 10% of the world’s aluminum produced in the Uyghur Region, and over 100 automotive companies linked to potential forced labor exposure, the risk is widespread.
Freedom United is calling on major carmakers—including BYD—to stop profiting from exploitation—whether in China, Brazil, or beyond.
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