Volkswagen's Brasil Unit To Pay $30 Million Compensation For "Slavery" In The Amazon

Volkswagen’s Brazil Unit to Pay $30 Million Compensation for ‘Slavery’ in the Amazon Brazil Brazil’s labor court this month ordered Volkswagen to pay about $30 million in collective “moral” damages for subjecting workers to slavery-like conditions at a company-owned farm in the Amazon during the 1970s and 1980s, the Associated Press reported. The court found that hundreds of workers at a farm in Para state were forced into degrading work conditions. The farm, owned by Volkswagen through a subsidiary, was used for cattle ranching and logging. In his ruling issued last week, Judge Otavio Bruno da Silva Ferreira said evidence confirmed the farm belonged to Volkswagen and that conditions met the legal definition of slave labor. “Slavery is a ‘present past,’ because its marks remain in Brazilian society, especially in labor relations,” Ferreira wrote, adding that the legacy of Brazil’s colonial slave system continues to shape society today. According to the court, around 300 workers were employed in irregular contracts to clear the forest and prepare pastures. They lived in precarious conditions under armed surveillance, were not fed properly, and were forced to remain on the farm under a system of debt bondage. They also had no access to medical assistance, even when affected by diseases such as malaria. Volkswagen’s cattle ranching and logging operations in the Amazon at the time benefited from government incentives under Brazil’s military dictatorship, which was part of a bigger state plan to develop the region, Reuters wrote. The case arose in 2019 after the country’s Labor Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation when a local priest provided decades of extensive documentation on the case. Prosecutors formally charged Volkswagen in 2024. The court’s ruling followed failed talks to settle with Volkswagen’s Brazil unit, with prosecutors saying the company “showed no interest” in negotiations. Prosecutors argued that the company has to publicly admit its responsibility in the case and issue a formal apology, while also implementing a “zero-tolerance” policy for slave-labor conditions. In a statement, Volkswagen said it defends human dignity and strictly follows all relevant labor laws and regulations. The automaker announced it would appeal the decision. Prosecutors said this is the largest reparation of its kind in Brazil’s history, which abolished slavery in 1888, the last country in the Western Hemisphere to do so.

Argentine Officials Forced To Fly Home From US After Kristi Noem Filed To Inform Them That Visa Ceremony Was Cancelled.

NewsWorldAmericasUS politics Argentinian officials forced to fly home from US after Kristi Noem failed to inform them visa ceremony was canceled: report ‘Let’s just say this was not a great look from us,’ one Trump administration official told Axios Ariana Baio in New York Wednesday 03 September 2025 11:50 EDT 9 Comments Close Kristi Noem posts video of herself riding horses in Argentina while on official trip Your support helps us to tell the story Support Now From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more A delegation from Argentina, which arrived in the United States for a visa-waiver signing ceremony, was reportedly forced to return home empty-handed after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem failed to inform them that the event had been canceled. Last week, a group of officials flew from Buenos Aires to Miami, where they were told by the Department of Homeland Security not to continue their trip to Washington, D.C., because the agreement - which would allow American and Argentinian citizens to travel between the two countries for up to 90 days without a visa - was “missing a signature,” a source told Axios. In the end, the officials, including the head of Argentina’s tax and customs agency, Juan Pazo, spent two days in Miami and then returned home. “Let’s just say this was not a great look from us,” a senior Trump administration official told Axios, adding that it was “embarrassing.” The incident appeared preventable. Noem allegedly knew that the Visa Waiver Program signing would not take place because Secretary of State Marco Rubio had not fully approved it yet. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, pictured with Argentine Minister of National Security Patricia Bullrich in July, reportedly failed to inform a delegation that they were pausing a potential Visa Waiver Program agreement open image in gallery Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, pictured with Argentine Minister of National Security Patricia Bullrich in July, reportedly failed to inform a delegation that they were pausing a potential Visa Waiver Program agreement (AFP/Getty) Recommended ‘ICE Barbie’ Kristie Noem dons favorite cowboy gear as she visits Argentina to work on new visa deal ‘ICE Barbie’ Kristie Noem dons favorite cowboy gear as she visits Argentina to work on new visa deal World leaders from China and Argentina join heads of far-right parties to attend Trump’s inauguration World leaders from China and Argentina join heads of far-right parties to attend Trump’s inauguration Noem warns more immigration raids are coming to America’s biggest cities: ‘We do intend to add more’ Noem warns more immigration raids are coming to America’s biggest cities: ‘We do intend to add more’ A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson referred The Independent to a post on X which pushed back on Axios’ reporting. “As we told them there was no new or additional visa waver program related document pending a signature with Argentina," the post read. "DHS looks forward to working with Argentinian officials going forward.” In July, Noem visited Argentina with the intention of starting discussions to help the country reenter the Visa Waiver Program.

Table In Argentina Nazi House Where Stolen Painting Went Missing Bears Likeness To Swastika

Table in Argentina 'Nazi house' where 'stolen' painting went missing bears likeness to Swastika By Harry Howard, 2 days ago It's the story of a 'stolen' painting that has taken the world by storm. The 18th-century work 'Portrait of a Lady', allegedly stolen from a Jewish collector more than 80 years ago, was spotted in an estate agent photo hanging on the wall of a home owned by the daughter of Nazi Friedrich Kadgien. Yet when police in the Argentine city of Mar del Plata searched the home, they found a tapestry in its place - with only a hook and marks on the wall signalling what had been there before. It sparked an intense search for the missing work that is still ongoing, with Kadgien's daughter Patricia and other family members remaining silent amidst the hunt. Now though, experts have spotted that the pattern on a table seen in the same bombshell photo bears a strong resemblance to a swastika, which was the symbol of the Nazi regime. Respected historian Robin Schaefer told the Daily Mail: 'I find it very difficult to construct any case in which that isn't a swastika. 'There is no option in which that isn't an intentional design. Although maybe she [Patricia] acquired it.' His comments came after the chief executive of expert body the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art said in a blog post that the coffee table pattern 'by mistake or design forms the shape of a swastika.' Although an ancient religious symbol most strongly associated with Hinduism, the swastika is now synonymous with far-right hatred and mass murder after being co-opted by the Nazi Party. It was the central part of Nazi Germany's national flag during Adolf Hitler's rule. The Nazi swastika did not look exactly the same as the traditional religious symbol. It was rotated to the right, with the four traditional dots removed. Kadgien, who was described as a 'snake of the lowest sort' by American interrogators, had funded the Third Reich's war effort through the theft of art and diamonds from Jewish dealers in the Netherlands. A senior aide to monstrous Luftwaffe chief Hermann Goering during the Second World War, he fled to Switzerland after Germany's defeat and then moved to Argentina, where he became a successful businessman before his death in 1978. He was one of hundreds of Nazis who found refuge in South America - in particular in Argentina - after the war. Among the most notorious were war criminals Adolf Eichmann - the chief architect of the Holocaust - and Auschwitz death camp doctor Josef Mengele. Kadgien's daughter's home, in the city of Mar del Plata, was marketed for sale on the website of estate agent Robles Casas & Campos. A Dutch journalist investigating the disappearance of Portrait of a Lady spotted the work by painter Fra Galgario in the listing's photos. Now though, experts have spotted that the pattern on a table seen in the same bombshell photo bears a strong resemblance to a Nazi swastika Although an ancient religious symbol most strongly associated with Hinduism, the swastika is now synonymous with far-right hatred and mass murder after being co-opted by the Nazi Party. Above: A Nazi Party rally in 1933 It had pride of place in the family living room. But when Argentine police stepped into Patricia Kadgien's house with a warrant in hand, they were met with disappointment. The painting was no longer there. Instead, a tapestry depicting horses was in its place. Ms Kadgien was present with her lawyer as police carried out the search. She has not responded to requests for comment and no charges have been filed. Officers did seize cell phones and two unregistered firearms as well as drawings, engravings and documents from the 1940s that could advance the investigation Portrait of a Lady is among at least 800 pieces owned by Dutch Jewish art dealer Jacquest Goudstikker that were seized or bought under duress by the Nazis. He died in 1940 aged just 42 after falling into the hold of a ship and breaking his neck while fleeing the Nazis for England, where he was buried. Friedrich Kadgien was described as a 'snake of the lowest sort' by American interrogators Kadgien once served as a financial advisor to top Nazi Herman Goering (pictured) Nazi Friedrich Kadgien in Brail 1954 with Antoinette Imfeld, the wife of Swiss lawyer Ernst Imfeld. The lawyer helped Kadgien flee from Switzerland to South America When police arrived, they found that the work was missing. On the wall instead was a tapestry depicting horses. Above: Investigators searching the home Investigators seized much from the home, but not the prized artwork they went in looking for A member of the Argentine Federal Police (PFA) stands outside the house that was raided after a photo showing a 17th century masterwork allegedly stolen by the Nazis from a Dutch Jewish art collector appeared in an advertisement for the sale of the property, in Parque Luro neighbourhood, Mar del Plata Investigators recovered more than 200 of the pieces in the early 2000s, but many - like Portrait of a Lady - remained missing and are included on the international and Dutch lists of lost art looted by the Nazis. Before his own unsuccessful escape from Europe, Goudstikker helped fellow Jews flee the Nazis. Marei von Saher, 81, Goudstikker's only surviving heir, said last week she now plans to file a claim and launch a legal action to have the painting returned to her family. 'My search for the artworks owned by my father-in-law Jacques Goudstikker started at the end of the 90s, and I won't give up,' von Saher told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad. 'My family aims to bring back every single artwork robbed from Jacques's collection and restore his legacy.'

Argentina: Officials Recover Stolen Painting

Argentina officials recover missing painting stolen by Nazis and seen in real estate photo By Lucila SigalJuan Carlos Bustamante, 7 hours ago By Lucila Sigal and Juan Carlos Bustamante BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -Argentina officials said on Wednesday they had recovered a painting stolen decades ago by the Nazis following days of international intrigue and raids to track down the portrait after it was spotted in a real estate photo. An official for the local prosecutor's office in the coastal city of Mar del Plata said Argentina's federal prosecutor would soon reveal more details about the painting's recovery. The painting, a portrait of Contessa Colleoni by Italian artist Giuseppe Ghislandi, is featured on a database of works of art stolen by the Nazis and has been missing for 80 years. Argentine authorities raided a house in Mar del Plata last week after the painting was shown hanging on a wall in a photo on a real estate listing, but were not able to immediately locate it. Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad first reported that the home in the real estate listing belonged to Patricia Kadgien, daughter of Friedrich Kadgien, a senior official in Adolf Hitler's government who moved to Argentina from Germany after World War Two. He died in 1979. A federal court ordered house arrest for Patricia Kadgien and her husband for 72 hours starting Monday. A judicial official told Reuters they would be questioned on accusations they had obstructed the investigation to locate the painting. The portrait of Contessa Colleoni was among more than 1,000 works of art stolen by the Nazis from Amsterdam-based art dealer Jacques Goudstikker, who died in 1940. (Reporting by Lucila Sigal and Juan Bustamante, editing by Cassandra Garrison and Rosalba O'Brien) 184

Peru: Ex President Alejandro Toledo Gets A Second Prison Term

Peru’s ex-president Toledo gets a second sentence in the Odebrecht corruption scandal By Via AP news wire, 3 hours ago Peru Ex-President Corruption Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo was sentenced to prison Wednesday for the second time in a case involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. Toledo received a sentence of 13 years and four months for money laundering, said Judge Josefa Izaga. In October 2024, he was sentenced to 20 years and six months for bribery and corruption in the case. Authorities accused the former president of accepting $35 million in bribes from Odebrecht in exchange for allowing the construction of a highway in the South American country. Toledo governed Peru from 2001 to 2006, and is the latest ex-Peruvian leader convicted for corruption related to Odebrecht. A few months ago, former President Ollanta Humala was sentenced to 15 years in prison for laundering funds from the company to finance his 2006 and 2011 campaigns. Odebrecht built some of Latin America’s most crucial infrastructure projects, and in 2016 it admitted to U.S. authorities to having bought government contracts throughout the region with generous bribes. The investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice spun probes in several countries, including Mexico, Guatemala and Ecuador. In Peru, authorities accused Toledo and three other former presidents of receiving payments from the construction giant. They alleged Toledo received $35 million from Odebrecht in exchange for the contract to build 650 kilometers (403 miles) of a highway linking Brazil with southern Peru. That portion of the highway was initially estimated to cost $507 million, but Peru ended up paying $1.25 billion. Toledo, 78, has denied the accusations. He was first arrested in 2019 at his home in California, where he had been living since 2016, when he returned to Stanford University, his alma mater, as a visiting scholar. He was initially held in solitary confinement at a county jail east of San Francisco but was released to house arrest in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and his deteriorating mental health. He was extradited to Peru in 2023 after a court of appeals denied a challenge to his extradition and he surrendered to authorities. The sentences are to be served concurrently. ____ Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america 2

Argentina: Federal Judge Bars Publication Of Audios Attributed to Milei's Sister

Argentina federal judge bars publication of audios attributed to Milei's sister By Leila Miller, 2 days ago By Leila Miller BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -A federal civil court judge in Argentina on Monday barred media outlets from publishing audio recordings that were made inside the presidential palace, presumably of the sister of President Javier Milei, as the government weathers a storm of corruption allegations heading into elections. The president's spokesperson, Manuel Adorni, posted on social media a court order that prohibits distribution of the audios recorded inside the Casa Rosada presidential palace via media outlets or social media platforms. The government had filed a complaint in federal court against an "operation of illegal intelligence with the aim of destabilizing the country in the middle of an election campaign," Adorni said. The recordings included private conversations of officials, including the president's sister, Karina Milei, who is also chief of staff, Adorni said. The federal judge's order comes as Milei's government faces allegations of corruption after a separate series of audio recordings were leaked to local news outlets in August. The recordings barred by the federal judge on Monday were already published on a streaming platform, according to Argentine newspaper La Nacion. In them, Karina Milei can allegedly be heard addressing her staff about labor issues. "We have to be united," she was heard saying, according to the paper. Milei's government is on wobbly political ground heading into the October midterm elections, which are an opportunity to expand his government from its current minority. The midterms are preceded by local elections in Buenos Aires province on September 7, currently dominated by the Peronist opposition. In the audio recordings leaked in August, which sparked a political scandal, Diego Spagnuolo, the then-head of Argentina's disability agency, can allegedly be heard discussing bribery within the agency. He alludes to Karina Milei as receiving payments. The president, who fired Spagnuolo after the audios surfaced, has dismissed the recordings as a lie. Reuters could not independently corroborate the audio recordings. (Reporting by Leila Miller; editing by Cassandra Garrison, Rod Nickel)

Brasil: Landmark Trial of Bolsonaro Enters Verdict Phase Amid US Pressure To Drop Prosecution

Landmark Trial of Bolsonaro Enters Verdict Phase Amid US Pressure To Drop Prosecution Brazil The landmark trial of Brazil’s right-wing former President Jair Bolsonaro entered its final phase Tuesday with the Supreme Court hearing closing arguments in a case that alleges that the former army officer plotted a coup to remain in power after his 2022 election loss, Reuters reported. This phase of the trial will see the panel of five Supreme Court judges deliver a verdict, likely by Sept. 12, the BBC added. The prosecution finished presenting its case in July and the defense wrapped up its arguments mid-August. Bolsonaro is accused of leading a criminal organization, attempting to abolish the democratic rule of law, attempting a coup, and two counts of destruction of property. He has denied all charges, calling them politically motivated. Evidence against Bolsonaro includes a draft of an unpublished presidential decree that would have allowed him to seize emergency powers and take control of Brazil’s top electoral court, overturning election results. Investigators say Bolsonaro edited the document and showed it to the military, but failed to secure unanimous support. Prosecutors also accuse Bolsonaro of approving a plan to assassinate the current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Justice Alexandre de Moraes. This is the first time a former Brazilian president has been charged with trying to subvert the country’s democracy. If convicted, Bolsonaro could face up to 40 years in prison. The trial has also drawn the ire of US President Donald Trump, who described the case as a “witch hunt” against his close ally. As a result, Trump imposed economic and diplomatic sanctions on Brazil, including a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian goods, and revoked the visas of de Moraes and other Supreme Court justices. Moraes opened Tuesday’s session with a statement defending the independence of the proceeding from foreign interference, a swipe at Trump, the Washington Post wrote. Afterward, he presented an overview of the evidence against Bolsonaro and seven other prominent former officials and military officers, including an admiral, three generals, and a lieutenant colonel who has agreed to a plea deal. Deliberations are scheduled to start next week. A simple majority, or three out of five votes, is needed to convict. If any of the defendants are convicted, a second round of voting would decide the sentences. Bolsonaro is currently under house arrest and banned from travelling for violating a ban on using social media that was imposed on him ahead of his trial, and because he is considered at risk of fleeing the country. The trial has become the dominant topic in Brazil, where millions have tuned in to watch it live. Meanwhile, dozens of people Sunday gathered in front of the former president’s house in the capital, Brasília, to express support, and more protests are expected in the coming days. Share this story