Gaucho councilor says wineries should hire ‘clean’ workers, not ‘those people up there’ – 02/28/2023 – Market

Speaking on the tribune of the Chamber of Caxias do Sul (RS), councilor Sandro Santinel (Patriotas) stated that companies and rural producers should hire “clean” employees to harvest grapes, like the Argentines, and should not look for “those people from above”, in reference to workers from Bahia rescued on Wednesday (22) in a situation analogous to slavery.

According to the Ministry of Labor, 192 men aged between 18 and 57 were rescued.
In an interview on Tuesday night (28) to Sheetthe councilor said that he “said too much” and that he will return to the podium this Wednesday (1st) to “apologise”.

The speech took place at the session this Monday (28) and generated an immediate reaction from councillors.

“I am amazed. It is unbelievable that in the parliament of the second largest city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, which has consolidated itself in a population of immigrants, a councilor uses xenophobic, prejudiced and discriminatory words”, said councilor Lucas Caregnato (PT) , also on the tribune of the House.

State deputy Leonel Radde (PT) took to social media to say that he had filed a police report against the councilman’s speech.

“Rio Grande do Sul and Brazil are not places for slaveholders,” he wrote. The report contacted the Civil Police, but did not receive a response until the publication of this text.

wanted by Sheetthe mayor of Caxias do Sul, councilor José Pascual Dambrós (PSB), declined to comment.

As he began his speech, Santinel said that he was going up to the platform to show solidarity with entrepreneurs and rural producers and that he was aware of the problem of the lack of labor for field work.

“This agenda gained great repercussions due to the events in Bento Gonçalves, which in my view are exaggerated and mediatic. I came across an avalanche of criticism and even offenses against companies and entrepreneurs in the winery sector that are excessive and unfair. Companies that are very important for our Serra Gaúcha and our country and are suffering a real virtual lynching”, he said.

Afterwards, he claims to have just one piece of advice for businessmen and rural producers: “Don’t hire those people from up there anymore. Talk to me and we’ll hire the Argentines. They are clean, hardworking, correct, keep the hours, keep the house clean and, on the day they leave, they still thank the boss for the money they received. With the Bahians, who the only culture they have is living on the beach, playing drums, it was normal for them to have this type of problem. So, leave that one aside people, who are used to Carnival and parties, so you don’t get disturbed again”.

The rescued workers worked for two companies that were hired by Aurora wineries, Cooperativa Garibaldi and Salton. The three say they were not aware of the situation reported by the workers and that they repudiate human rights violations.

A Sheet Santinel also regretted the attacks that his wife and son would be suffering on social networks, after the repercussions of the case.

“I touched on the name of the Bahians because the process that is running in Bento Gonçalves was with the Bahians. Because if it had been with the miners, I would have talked about miners. If it had been with the cariocas, I would have talked about the cariocas. I don’t have nothing against Bahians, on the contrary. I had it on the beaches there, it’s wonderful”, he said.

According to the councilor, his real intention, when he took the podium, was to warn of possible fraud, when workers would invent bad working conditions “just to receive compensation”. “It is not the case of Bento Gonçalves, there it was exaggerated”, he stated.

In his biography, on the Chamber’s website, the councilor informs that in 2017 he created the “2018 Pro-Bolsonaro Commission, a group of right-wing businessmen who wanted changes in the country”.

The governor of Bahia, Jerônimo Rodrigues (PT), also spoke about the episode, on a social network, and said that he had determined “the adoption of appropriate measures”.

“Today, a councilor from Rio Grande do Sul defended slave labor in the state’s wineries and was even xenophobic and racist towards Baianas and Baianos. , he wrote.