Brazil closes the construction site of its BYD factory. The Chinese electric car giant, the world’s largest manufacturer and which is seeking to export outside of Asia, was due to open its new factory next year in the Brazilian province of Bahia, in the east of the country. But this Monday, December 23, the Brazilian authorities rescued 163 workers, all Chinese, who were living on site in conditions close to slavery.
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Beds without mattresses, a toilet for thirty workers, a wake-up call at 4 a.m., confiscated passports and salaries withheld for several months: the 163 Chinese workers experienced what looks like hell, far from being up to par. all human dignity.
Employed on the site by the subcontractor Jinjiang Construction, they have since been relocated to hotels near Camassari, after the intervention of the police on Monday, December 23.
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Faced with accusations of modern slavery, BYD immediately reacted by claiming to have cut all ties with this company. The Chinese electric car giant also had to comply with Brazilian legislation by ordering a complete halt to work.
The factory project which was to open the South American market to the car manufacturer is therefore on hold, and BYD wants to show its credentials. The problem is that the firm was aware of the degraded working conditions on the site. It would have carried out a detailed study in recent weeks and asked its subcontractor to make improvements to the living environment of the workers. But we had to wait for the intervention of the Brazil so that there can be change.
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