German Public Television (ARD) report gives the victims of an inhumane practice that lasted decades and talks about the company’s relationship with the dictatorial regime. Labor conditions. This is the greatest fine ever imposed in Brazil for contemporary work cases. Victims of this practice spoke to the Ard network of justification they feel at least late.

As the relevant report points out for more than 40 years, Pedro Pereira Vasskonselos had to wait justice for what he suffered and dozens of other Brazilian workers on an Amazon farm, which belonged to one of the largest companies in Germany: “These guys are robbers,” Vasconselos says. “This is the truth. We were mistreated, stolen our salaries. We had to work early in the morning until late at night. We were sent Pistoleiros – armed guards. Anyone who left running could be shot or thrown into the river. It was a war, ”recalls the 60 -year -old today in those months of 1983, when he worked as a wage worker on the Vale do Rio Cristalino farm.

Categories for murder and torture

Hundreds of workers underwent degrading working conditions, compulsory slavery and armed surveillance on a farm operated by VW in the 1970s and 1980s. This was the finding of a labor court that began an investigation in 2019 after the collection of documents by Priest Ricardo Rezedo. Figueira also says that the company has destroyed large areas of rainforest and deforestation in the area continues.

“There are complaints about murder and torture on the farm. They used minors and violated land of indigenous people, “Figueira stresses.

The biggest fine in history

The Labor Court has now sentenced Volkswagen Do Brasil to pay compensation of 165 million Real, about 26m euros for slavery. The prosecutor, Rafael Garcia, calls it a historic day: After so many years, one of the largest companies in the world must take responsibility for the “degrading violations of human rights” he has committed: submitting workers to workers in slavery.

In addition to compensation, the decision requires the company to publicly recognize its responsibility and apologize to the affected workers and the Brazilian society as a whole.

VW has announced that it will appeal against the decision. Responding to a request from ARD public television, the automotive industry issued a written statement: “With its 72 -year tradition, the company is consistently committed to the principles of human dignity and strictly adheres to all applicable labor laws and regulations.”

Company’s relationships with the regime

The “Companhia Vale do Rio Cristalino” in the Brazilian state was meant to be the entrance of the automotive industry into the meat industry – at the invitation of the Brazilian military dictatorship, which offered tax relief. Father Figueira says today that the crimes committed during military dictatorship and friendly relations between large companies and the military government should not be forgotten, otherwise they will be repeated.

It is important to somehow recover for these crimes, he says. Of course, this can only be symbolic. “Someone who lost a child because of Volkswagen, who was tortured in Volkswagen, who suffered this humiliation, exhaustion and threats, will not receive complete compensation.” What happened cannot be overturned, but at least it can be recognized. Vasconselos, a former VW farm worker, says: “We’ve been waiting for a long time. Some of the victims have already died. We will continue to fight. ” He is convinced that a senior court will also judge VW guilty.

Source: ARD