The Chinese automaker is known for using cheap labor to reduce the price of its EVs, with Brazil becoming its largest overseas market.

Brazilian authorities say they have rescued more than 160 laborers working in "slavery-like" conditions at a construction site for a factory of Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD in northeastern Brazil.

More than 160 Chinese workers have been saved from "slave-like conditions" in Brazil, where they had been building an electric car factory for Chinese giant BYD, officials said Tuesday.

Brazilian authorities have halted the construction of a factory for Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD, saying workers lived in conditions comparable to "slavery". RIO DE JANEIRO More than 160 workers have been rescued in Brazil's northeastern state of Bahia,

More than 160 Chinese workers have been saved from “slave-like conditions” in Brazil, where they had been building an electric car factory

Construction at BYD’s new EV plant in Brazil was suddenly halted Monday after authorities found Chinese workers in “slavery-like”

BYD, one of the world’s leading EV manufacturers, surpassed Elon Musk’s Tesla in EV sales during the final quarter of 2023. Brazil, BYD’s largest overseas market, has been central to the company’s global expansion efforts.

BYD (BYDDF) has cut ties with a construction firm Jinjiang Construction Brazil after Brazilian authorities stopped construction of a new

Officials said staff were working excessively long hours while being kept in ‘degrading conditions’ in their accommodation.

"Slavery-like conditions", as defined by Brazilian law, include debt bondage and work that violates human dignity. The MPT added that the situation also constitutes "forced labour", as many workers had their wages withheld and faced excessive costs for terminating their contracts. BYD said affected workers had been moved to hotels.

Brazil's Public Labor Prosecutor's Office said workers were put in a degrading environment and had their passports and salaries withheld by a building company.