Volkswagen’s Alleged Dark History in Brazil’s Amazon

A courageous Catholic priest has come forward with what he claims is substantial evidence that the German automaker Volkswagen was entrenched in severe exploitation on an Amazon cattle ranch from 1977 to 1987. This accusation was recently highlighted in a report.

Father Ricardo Rezende Figuera has undertaken an extensive inquiry, amassing over 1,000 pages of documentation. His collection includes numerous testimonies from people who endured harsh working conditions, notarized statements, and official records from government and police that imply widespread forced labor involving hundreds of individuals, including minors.

The situation allegedly unfolded during Brazil’s military dictatorship, which lasted from 1964 to 1985. At that time, Volkswagen owned the ranch through its Brazilian subsidiary, Valedrio Christarino.

In a response, Volkswagen Brazil acknowledged its ownership of the ranch but strongly denied any claims of mistreatment. They asserted their commitment to justice, though the company’s headquarters in Germany did not comment on the matter.

Father Rezende’s investigation has unveiled documents identifying 69 elderly victims. These records describe how recruiters had lured many seasonal laborers to the ranch with promises of fair wages and better living conditions.

However, the report details that once these individuals arrived at the ranch, they were effectively trapped. The workers faced various abuses, such as extreme physical violence, threats, and debt bondage, while being watched by armed guards. Many were forced to destroy forests to make way for cattle grazing.

Included in the report is the testimony of 60-year-old Pedro Valdo Pereira Basconcelos, who shared how he was drawn to the ranch by a friend offering a lucrative opportunity. Instead of enjoying any kind of recreational activity, he and others were instead enslaved on the premises, monitored by armed personnel. Some workers fell gravely ill, and disturbing incidents of violence and abuse occurred, including an account of a woman being raped as punishment for her husband’s escape attempts.

The report highlights that in recent years, Father Rezende has helped liberate five men who had fled from the Volkswagen farm, now all in their sixties. One of them, 62-year-old Francisco Rezende de Sousa, recounted the toll the experience had on him, describing how it drove him to alcohol after his escape.

A friend of another victim shared poignant details about the long-lasting impact the ordeal had on him, noting how he never found love or settled down because of what he endured.

Notably, despite earlier investigations by local authorities, no legal actions were taken against Volkswagen or its affiliates at the time. Father Rezende submitted his findings to federal prosecutors in 2019, which eventually led to an official inquiry launched in December 2024, although Volkswagen has denied the allegations.

The situation resonates with previous allegations against Volkswagen, which was reportedly implicated in using forced labor from the Uyghur population in China. The company defended its presence, insisting that they do not believe their employees were subjected to forced labor.