The plant was supposed to be operational by March 2025 and was to be BYD’s first electric car production plant outside of Asia.
Workers employed by Jinjiang Construction Brazil lived in four units in the city of Kamasari.
In one such facility, according to the prosecutor’s office, workers were forced to sleep on beds without mattresses.
Each bathroom was also shared between the 31 workers, forcing them to get up very early to be ready for work.
“The conditions found in the dwellings revealed an alarming picture of fragility and degradation,” MPT said.
“Slavery-like conditions,” as defined by Brazilian law, include bonded labor and work that degrades human dignity.
The MPT added that the situation is also “forced labour” as many workers have had their wages withheld and faced exorbitant costs for canceling their contracts.
BYD said the injured workers were taken to hotels.
He added that he had carried out a “detailed review” of the working and living conditions of the subcontractors and had asked the construction firm “several times” to make improvements.
