In Brazil, authorities are reviewing allegations that Chinese workers at a BYD factory construction site faced mistreatment during the project. The reports have circulated across media outlets, including Car NewsChina, which described a range of troubling conditions tied to the build and the broader push to expand BYD’s manufacturing footprint in Brazil.
According to Car NewsChina, workers were said to endure 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, with some arriving on site without basic safety gear such as shoes or helmets. The publication claims that these workers lacked access to clean drinking water and have been observed drinking from puddles to stay hydrated.
Allegations also include violence by foremen toward employees. In response, Brazil’s Ministry of Labor launched a formal investigation after an anonymous complaint on September 30. An inspection followed in November, and it is reported that 470 Chinese workers were employed by three contractors under the project, enduring what observers describe as harsh working conditions. By comparison, Brazilian workers on the same site were reported to face less severe conditions.
Some observers say the mistreatment may be linked to production delays that put pressure on workers to accelerate schedules. The incident raises questions about the oversight of international labor on major construction projects in Brazil, and about how contractors manage safety, hydration, and worker welfare on site. This situation sits within a broader conversation about labor standards in global supply chains and the responsibilities of multinational firms to protect workers overseas.
Earlier reports reference a separate incident in the Chelyabinsk region described as an accident involving three vehicles. The note suggests five people were affected in that incident, though it is not connected to the BYD project in Brazil.