Intersectionality of ethnicity and poverty in the “Fazenda Verde v. Brazil” case: analysis of its impact on inter-American jurisprudence on forced labor and its relationship with modern slavery

Abstract

This article analyzes the ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the case of Fazenda Brazil Verde Workers vs. Brazil, focusing on how the court addresses the intersectionality of ethnicity and poverty in its thinking on forced labor and modern slavery. Through a legal-documentary methodology, the key elements of the sentence are examined, such as the analysis of the context, the determination of a vulnerable group of poor people, historical structural discrimination, and state responsibility. It is concluded that this ruling represents a milestone in inter-American jurisprudence by recognizing poverty as part of discrimination due to economic position, creating a new vulnerable group, and advancing standards to legally link poverty and human rights violations. This opens doors for new developments in the fight against forced labor and modern slavery from a human rights and intersectionality perspective.