Volkswagen accused of slavery in Brazil

German media reported today, Sunday, that the German Volkswagen Group faces accusations of practicing “slavery” in Brazil.
“AFP” said that a Volkswagen representative was summoned to appear before the Labor Court in Brasilia on June 14, after a notification sent by the local judiciary on May 19.
A Volkswagen spokesperson said it was taking the matter “extremely seriously”, however, the world’s second-largest automaker did not want to say more at this point “due to potential legal action”.
The case deals with the period from 1974 to 1986, the period during which Brazil experienced military rule between 1964 and 1985, and former Volkswagen employees have been seeking compensation for several years.
According to reports, the Brazilian judiciary is examining accusations that the company used “slavery-like practices” and “human trafficking”, and accuses the group of complicity in “systematic human rights violations”.
The accusations indicate that in the mentioned period, the German group planned to build a large agricultural site on the bank of the Amazon River for the meat trade, as hundreds of temporary workers were recruited for deforestation work on an area of ​​70,000 hectares (173 thousand acres) through intermediaries, but it is likely that This is with the approval of the manufacturer’s management.