Four Argentines working in slavery conditions were rescued by Brazil's Federal Police Saturday in Nova Petrópolis, 90 kilometers from Porto Alegre, according to an O Globo report which also mentioned that the group had been abandoned by their employers in a rural property without resources or food. Among the victims was a 14-year-old minor. A suspect was arrested.
An investigation published this week showed six Brazilian meatpacker firms bought cattle from ranches that used slave labor. Labor experts suggested on Wednesday that the firms must clean up their supply chains.
The US Supreme Court will decide whether American corporations can be sued for alleged human rights abuses occurring abroad under a 1789 law, agreeing to hear appeals by two companies: Cargill Inc and a Nestle SA subsidiary: accused of knowingly helping perpetuate slavery at Ivory Coast cocoa farms.
The Lloyd’s of London insurance market has apologized for its “shameful” role in the 18th and 19th Century Atlantic slave trade and pledged to fund opportunities for black and ethnic minority groups.
Leading mobile company Telefonica Brasil and three firms in its supply chain have been found guilty of engaging in slave labor, authorities said this week. A panel of labor judges in Espirito Santo state ruled that Telefonica, publicly traded as Vivo in Brazil, was guilty after workers toiled in slavery-like conditions during the building of a cellphone tower in 2014.