Please see my previous posts on this subject, each will link back to the previous. In the last installment the Ecuadoran plaintiffs had hired a new high-powered attorney. Chevron reacted by filing RICO charges against dozens of people and companies in this corruption, collusion-filled 18 year old lawsuit. FYI the alleged “corruption” is on the side of the Ecuadoran plaintiffs, courts and attorneys and witnesses.
On Monday, Feb. 14 an Ecuadoran judge ordered Chevron to pay a record judgment of $8.6 billion to clean up contamination in the Ecuadoran jungle from Texaco, which it purchased in 2001 and inherited the case. The lawsuit by Ecuadoran Indians has been going on for almost two decades and has been filled with drama, to say the least.
The judge even ordered Chevron to “apologize” within 15 days or he would double the fine. It is believed to be the largest fine ever leveled in an environmental case. This suit has jumped the Atlantic Ocean numerous times, playing out in both the U.S. and in Ecuador.
Chevron has no assets in Ecuador which will make it extremely difficult to collect the judgment unless a U.S. court intervenes. Chevron denies any responsibility for the pollution and vows to fight any attempt to seize its assets overseas.
The finding for the plaintiffs was no surprise to Chevron or this writer, who has been following the suit for quite some time. Chevron says it will appeal the case, won’t pay the fine or apologize. From the Wall Street Journal:
“We believe it to be illegitimate and unenforceable,” Chevron spokesman Kent Robertson said. “It’s the product of fraud, and it’s contrary to the legitimate scientific evidence.”
More information about the fraud, collusion and corruptness in this case can be found in my previous posts.
But last week arbitrators in The Hague gave Chevron a preliminary injunction which means the judgment could be unenforceable. Chevron is also using the U.S. courts in hopes they will never have to pay anything at all. Chevron sued the plaintiffs and their U.S. attorneys and a federal judge issued a temporary stay. This stay would block the plaintiffs ability to enforce any judgment.
This lawsuit has been going on since 1993 when Texaco was sued in New York. At the time Ecuador was seen as a more “friendly” nation so Chevron asked to have the case moved to Ecuador. However, in 2007 Rafael Correa became president and he championed the cause of the plaintiffs. This is when things began to heat up because of Correa’s left-leaning tendencies and things started to go sour for Chevron.
According to the Amazon Post Chevron had this response to the judgment:
“The Ecuadorian court’s judgment is illegitimate and unenforceable. It is the product of fraud and is contrary to the legitimate scientific evidence. Chevron will appeal this decision in Ecuador and intends to see that justice prevails.
“United States and international tribunals already have taken steps to bar enforcement of the Ecuadorian ruling. Chevron does not believe that today’s judgment is enforceable in any court that observes the rule of law.
“Chevron intends to see that the perpetrators of this fraud are held accountable for their misconduct.”
This is still not over by a long shot. Much more to come…
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