Mato Grosso cotton farm rescue ends forced‑labor conditions for 35 workers

Brazilian labor auditors and the Federal Police rescued 35 workers from a cotton farm in Campo Novo do Parecis, Mato Grosso. The operation began on 8 June and concluded on 12 June after inspectors faced initial obstruction from the farm’s representatives.

The workers, recruited from Minas Gerais, were confined in overcrowded containers (approximately 2.4 m × 6 m) with up to nine people per unit, lacking basic sanitation, clean water, and protective equipment. They were exposed to pesticide spraying, reporting nausea, breathing difficulties, skin irritation and burns. The site also featured unsanitary toilets, inadequate washing facilities, and meals eaten directly in the fields, violating labor and health standards.

Authorities documented severe violations of workers’ rights, including restrictions on movement enforced by fenced, barbed‑wire‑surrounded accommodation areas. The rescued employees are now entitled to unpaid wages, benefits and unemployment insurance, while the farm faces legal action for forced‑labor practices.