Brazil updates slave labor registry with 82 new employers

The Brazilian Ministry of Labor and Employment has updated its registry of employers found to have subjected workers to conditions analogous to slavery, commonly known as the ‘Lista Suja’. The latest update includes 82 new employers—54 individuals and 28 legal entities—across 21 states. This update resulted in the liberation of 553 workers.

While the number of new inclusions represents a 51.48% decrease compared to the previous update, significant violations were documented. In the state of Mato Grosso, specifically in Nova Maringá, Sorriso, and Alto Taquari, 42 workers, including adolescents, were rescued. Investigations in these areas revealed extreme precariousness, such as workers sleeping in canvas tents, containers, or adapted buses, alongside a lack of potable water, inadequate sanitation, and missing protective equipment.

Economic sectors with the highest number of violations include cattle ranching, domestic services, charcoal production, coffee production, and building construction. The registry is maintained through collaborative efforts involving the Federal Police, the Public Labor Ministry, and the Federal Public Defender's Office to ensure transparency in combating modern slavery.