Key facts
- A report by the Corporate Accountability Lab details ongoing forced labor and abusive labor practices at Central Romana Corporation in the Dominican Republic.
- Central Romana Corporation is a significant employer and landowner in the Dominican Republic, exporting sugar to the U.S.
- The company's ownership has ties to U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, including the Fanjul family.
- The U.S. previously banned imports from Central Romana in 2022 due to labor concerns but reversed the ban last year.
- Workers report low wages, inadequate housing, and a climate of fear, with the U.S. Department of Labor also noting "inhumane" conditions.
A report released by the Corporate Accountability Lab alleges that forced labor and abusive labor practices persist on the massive sugarcane plantations of Central Romana Corporation, Ltd., a major employer and landowner in the Dominican Republic. The company exports sugar and other products to the United States, its largest market.
The report, which spent over three years investigating working conditions, noted that Central Romana's owners have ties to U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Specifically, the Florida-based Fanjul Corp., which owns Florida Crystals, is among the owners, and the Fanjul family has close ties to Trump and the Dominican government.
Central Romana Corporation had previously been investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which accused the company of isolating workers, withholding wages, and fostering abusive working and living conditions, including excessive overtime. In 2022, the U.S. imposed a ban on imports of sugar and related products from the company, but this ban was reversed last year under the Trump administration.
The human rights group is now calling on the U.S. government to reinstate the import ban. Local civil society groups estimate that up to 8,000 workers are employed in the company's sugarcane fields, spanning more than 173,700 acres. These workers have long complained about a lack of wages and being forced to live in cramped housing lacking basic amenities like water or electricity, conditions verified by Associated Press journalists. Many of these workers are Haitian migrants or their descendants who lack citizenship in the Dominican Republic.
One unidentified worker was quoted as saying, "This way we are their slaves," due to the lack of documentation and power to seek other employment. The Corporate Accountability Lab has called on Central Romana to enroll workers in the social security system, pay at least the minimum wage, allow unionization, and protect worker health. The nonprofit also asserted that a "climate of fear pervades the industry."
Central Romana Corporation responded to the report, stating it was "riddled with inaccuracies and untruths."