Alckmin counters US investigation: “Brazil fights forced labor”

The Vice President of the Republic, Geraldo Alckminstated this Saturday (14) that Brazil is committed to combating forced labor, when commenting on the investigation opened by the USTR (United States Trade Representative) against Brazil and 59 other countries.

“No one is more committed to combating forced labor than the Brazilian government. President Lula’s government is committed to workers, it has supervision, it has a Ministry of Labor. It is designed to avoid forced labor,” said Alckmin in an interview with journalists.

The vice president also stated that Brazil is a signatory to all international treaties aimed at combat forced labor.

Last Thursday (12), the USTR initiated unfair considerations by around 60 countries, focusing on the occurrence of forced labor in production chains.

Among the dozens of U.S. trading partners under investigation under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 is Brazil.

“Despite the international consensus against forced labor, governments have failed to effectively impose and enforce measures that prohibit products manufactured with forced labor from entering their markets. For too long, American workers and companies have been forced to compete with foreign producers who may have an artificial cost advantage gained from the scourge of forced labor,” said Ambassador and .

“These investigations will determine whether foreign governments have taken sufficient steps to ban the import of products made with forced labor and how the failure to eradicate these abhorrent practices impacts American workers and businesses.”

List of countries under US investigation into forced labor

1. Algeria;
2. Angola;
3. Argentina;
4. Australia;
5. Bahamas;
6. Bahrain;
7. Bangladesh;
8. Brazil;
9. Cambodia;
10. Canada;
11. Chile;
12. China;
13. Colombia;
14. Costa Rica;
15. Dominican Republic;
16. Ecuador;
17. Egypt;
18. El Salvador;
19. European Union;
20. Guatemala;
21. Guiana;
22. Honduras;
23. Hong Kong;
24. India;
25. Indonesia;
26. Iraq;
27. Israel;
28. Japan;
29. Jordan;
30. Kazakhstan;
31. Kuwait;
32. Libya;
33. Malaysia;
34. Mexico;
35. Morocco;
36. New Zealand;
37. Nicaragua;
38. Nigeria;
39. Norway;
40. Oman;
41. Pakistan;
42. Peru;
43. Filipinas;
44. Qatar;
45. Russia;
46. Saudi Arabia;
47. Singapore;
48. South Africa;
49. South Korea;
50. Sri Lanka;
51. Switzerland;
52. Taiwan;
53. Thailand;
54. Trinidad e Tobago;
55. Türkiye;
56. United Arab Emirates;
57. United Kingdom;
58. Uruguay;
59. Venezuela;
60. Vietnam.