Key facts
- Central Romana, a sugar importer partially owned by billionaire Pepe Fanjul, is accused of maintaining abusive labor practices.
- A watchdog group's report, 'Bitter Empire,' details labor exploitation in the Dominican sugar sector.
- The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had previously blocked sugar imports from Central Romana in 2022.
- The import ban was lifted shortly after Donald Trump took office, despite a lack of significant improvement in worker conditions.
- Officials suggested the decision to lift the ban was political and originated from the White House.
A watchdog group has alleged that Dominican sugar company Central Romana, partially owned by billionaire Pepe Fanjul and a close associate of President Trump, continues to engage in abusive labor practices. The report, titled 'Bitter Empire: Labor Exploitation in the Dominican Sugar Sector and the Trump-Billionaire Alliance Behind It,' claims that the Trump administration improperly intervened in a regulatory action to lift an import ban on the company's sugar.
In 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had blocked sugar imports from Central Romana due to labor standard violations. However, shortly after Trump took office, the ban was abruptly overturned. According to the report and corroborated by The New York Times, current and former officials suggested the decision to lift the ban was political and came directly from the White House, despite a lack of significant improvement in worker conditions on the ground.