What is the fake news claiming?

Posts circulating on X (Twitter), Facebook and Instagram since early July 2026 claim that the manufacturer of Brastemp and Consul refrigerators has announced the closure of a factory in Brazil. Some captions read: "Brazil on the edge of the abyss" and "Brazil is flying… into the precipice."

Why is this false?

The posts deliberately omit a key detail: the factory closure announced on July 1 involves a plant in Apodaca, Mexico — not any Brazilian facility. Whirlpool, the parent company of Brastemp and Consul, confirmed this in an official statement sent to G1's Fato ou Fake fact-checking team.

What did Whirlpool actually say?

Whirlpool stated: "The announcement covers the gradual closure of the Apodaca factory in Mexico, and is not related to our units in Brazil." The Apodaca plant will be phased out by the second quarter of 2027, with refrigerator production transferred to Whirlpool's facility in Ramos Arizpe, also in Mexico.

What is happening with Whirlpool's Brazilian plants?

Whirlpool currently operates three factories in Brazil, located in Joinville (Santa Catarina), Manaus (Amazonas) and Rio Claro (São Paulo). Far from closing, the Rio Claro unit recently received a boost: after absorbing production from a closed plant in Pilar, Argentina, the company announced an investment of R$ 300 million and the creation of 200 new jobs at that site.

Key Facts:
  • The closure is of the Apodaca plant in Mexico, not any Brazilian factory.
  • Whirlpool confirmed the misinformation via official statement to G1 Fato ou Fake.
  • The Apodaca plant will close gradually by Q2 2027; production moves to Ramos Arizpe, Mexico.
  • Whirlpool's Brazilian plants are in Joinville (SC), Manaus (AM) and Rio Claro (SP).
  • Rio Claro received R$ 300 million in investment and 200 new jobs after absorbing Argentina's Pilar production.