The Minister of Labor and Employment, Luiz Marinho, visited Bauru and addressed a recent tragic bus accident that claimed the lives of seven rural workers on the BR-153 highway. The workers were reportedly hired to assist in apple harvesting in Santa Catarina and originated from Maranhāo. Investigations have revealed that many survivors were unaware of their destination and the conditions they would be working in, raising serious concerns about the legitimacy and conditions surrounding their employment.

In response to the incident, the Ministry has initiated a formal process to investigate the hiring practices of these workers, focusing on any occurrences of slave-like working conditions, which is a severe violation of workers' rights in Brazil. The reality for these workers, as recounted by survivors, highlights a disturbing lack of transparency and accountability in the recruitment practices for labor-intensive agricultural jobs.

This situation not only emphasizes the vulnerabilities faced by migrant workers in Brazil's agricultural sector but also signals a critical need for regulatory oversight to prevent exploitation. With ongoing investigations, the Ministry aims to protect workers from similar fates and improve labor conditions across the industry. The tragic loss of life in this incident serves as a reminder of the urgent need for reform and vigilant enforcement of labor laws.