Exclusive-Brazil suspends temporary work visas for BYD-ministry


BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian authorities have suspended the issuance of temporary work visas for Chinese electric vehicle producer BYD, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

The announcement came days after labor authorities said they found 163 Chinese workers in "slavery-like" conditions at a BYD factory construction site in the northeastern state of Bahia. The workers were employed by contractor JinJiang group, which has denied any wrongdoing.

According to the foreign ministry, the workers entered Brazil on temporary work visas. Labor authorities had said earlier in the week that the workers had been brought to Brazil irregularly and were victims of human trafficking.



(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; Editing by Christian Plumb)