More than 200 workers who were subjected to slavery in grape harvests for the main wineries in southern Brazil were rescued by the Ministry of Labor in “degrading conditions”. The scandal led the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to suspend the three most important wine and sparkling wine brands in the country (Aurora, Salton and Cooperativa Garibaldi) from upcoming international fairs. It also unleashed statements charged with racism and prejudice by the employers and a Bolsonaro leader.
Last Wednesday, an operation coordinated by the Ministry of Labor rescued 207 workers who were facing inhumane working conditions in the municipality of Bento Gonçalves, in Serra Gaúcha, the largest wine region in the country. Three workers who managed to escape from the place contacted the Rodoviaria Police and filed the complaint.
The workers, who were lured with the promise of a salary of three thousand reais, denounced that they were facing delays in the payment of wages, physical violence, long working hours and that was even offered rotten food. They also denounced that, since their arrival at the beginning of the month, they were coerced to remain in the place on pain of paying a fine for breach of contract.
The Governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leiteannounced that opened a case to determine if there were police officers who participated in the threats and beatings, which included electric shocks and pepper spray. The administrator of the company in charge of the workers was detained by the police, but he posted bail and was released. The ages of the 207 rescued ranged from 18 to 57 years.
In the midst of the scandal, the employers’ union Center for Industry, Commerce and Services of Bento Gonçalves He repudiated the facts, although he pointed out that slavery is related to the lack of labor. “There is a large sector of the population with full productive conditions that despite this is inactive, surviving through a welfare system that is not healthy at all,” said the employers in a statement.
For his part, the councilor of the municipality of Caxias do Sul, Sandro Fantinelwas on the side of the producers and accused the victims “whose only culture is to live on the beach playing drums”, for which he considered that “it was normal for people to have that kind of problem”. In this sense, Fantinel praised the Argentine workers because “they are clean, hard-working, correct, they meet the schedules, they keep the house clean and, the day they leave, they even thank the employer for the service provided and the money received.”