Brazilian authorities have shut down a factory site for Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD due to allegations of “slavery” conditions faced by workers. The Public Labour Prosecutor’s Office (MPT) rescued over 160 workers in the northeastern state of Bahia, who were allegedly subjected to degrading living conditions, including sleeping on beds without mattresses and sharing bathrooms with up to 31 colleagues.
The factory, scheduled to open in March 2025, was set to be BYD’s first EV plant outside of Asia. However, the MPT stated that the conditions found were “alarming” and revealed “precariousness and degradation.” The company has since cut ties with the building firm involved and committed to full compliance with Brazilian legislation.
BYD has sold more electric vehicles than Elon Musk’s Tesla in the last three months of 2023, and is expanding its presence in Brazil, its largest overseas market. However, the Chinese government’s support for domestic car makers has sparked a growing backlash abroad, including tariffs on EVs from China.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8xj9jp57r2o