Volkswagen Held Accountable for Slave-Like Labor in Amazon: A Call for Corporate Responsibility

In a landmark decision that underscores the imperative of accountability within global corporations, Brazil’s labor court has ordered Volkswagen to pay a historic 165 million reais (about $30 million) in compensation for subjecting hundreds of workers to brutal, slave-like conditions during the 1970s and 1980s on a company-owned farm deep in the Amazon. This verdict does more than correct past injustices—it serves as a stark reminder that multinational companies must uphold human dignity and labor rights wherever they operate. For decades, workers on Volkswagen's Para state farm endured harsh treatment under armed guard, with substandard housing, insufficient sustenance, and deplorable...