The Labor Prosecutor’s Office (MPT) in the Campinas region of São Paulo rescued 13 teenagers from a farm in the city of Cerquilho, in the interior of the state, where they were in a situation of labor analogous to slavery. The operation took place on Monday (22) and today the MPT reported that, through information obtained from the Civil Police, Guardianship Council, Municipal Guard and Federal Police, it will open an investigation to determine in detail what was happening to the teenagers.
Also on Tuesday (23), the Ministry of Labor fined the farm R$120,000, but this amount may be increased after a new visit to the site, which will be carried out in the coming days by the Civil and Federal Police and members of the Ministry of Labor and the Public Ministry.
The teenagers faced an exhausting work day, which began at dawn and continued until dusk. They harvested potatoes, but they had no access to bathrooms, decent food or protective equipment. If they wanted gloves, they had to buy them from the landowner. Three people were arrested.
The MPT reported that last year alone, 2,176 children were registered in child labor situations in the state of São Paulo. In the municipality of Sorocaba, near Cerquilho, 99 children were rescued.
