Chevron fails to block $18 billion Ecuador judgment
Chevron's attempt to overturn the $19 billion judgment against it in Ecuador for polluting the Amazon rainforest won't get a hearing by the US Supreme Court.
The nation's high court this week rejected the US oil company's appeal of a federal court ruling, with no explanation.
It's the latest twist in a case that has been going on for 18 year, originally brought against Texaco (bought by Chevron in 2001).
Farmers have been seeking redress for damages from 16 billion gallons of toxic waste sludge dumped into rivers and streams from 1964-1990. Texaco left the country in 1992.
Thousands of people depend on that water for drinking, bathing, and fishing
In February 2011, an Ecuadorean judge imposed damages of $8.6 billion against Chevron – the fine has more than doubled since then because the court required Chevron to make a public apology, which it hasn't.
Chevron filed an appeal in New York to block the judgment, saying it was illegal and unenforceable under the state's law – and a federal judge took its side in March 2011.
But earlier this year, an appeals court overturned that decision, noting US courts can't interfere with courts from other countries. But Chevron didn't give up, it appealed again - this time to the Supreme Court.
Chevron has been adamant about fighting what it believes is a judgment brought by a corrupt foreign court. The irony is that Chevron actually petitioned to have the case moved from the US to Ecuador in the first place.
"While Chevron is disappointed that the Court denied our petition, we will continue to defend against the plaintiffs' lawyers' attempts to enforce the fraudulent Ecuadorean judgment, and to further expose their misconduct," the company told Reuters.
"The company want to prevent a "disturbing trend" where lawyers win big money judgments against U.S. companies in corrupt foreign courts, and then seek to enforce them in countries where the companies operate," says Reuters.
If it all sounds complicated, it is, but the bottom line is this is a closely watched case because it sets a precedent that would impact other pending pollution cases against oil companies.
Environmentalist Donald Moncayo shows his glove
after conducting a test made on an affected field in Lago Agrio, Ecuador
in this January 25, 2011 file photograph. Chevron Corp on October 9,
2012 lost a U.S. Supreme Court bid to block an $18.2 billion judgment
against it in Ecuador in a case over pollution in the Amazon jungle. The
Supreme Court did not give any explanation for its decision, which
rejected Chevron's appeal of a lower court ruling. The lower court in
January had thrown out an injunction blocking enforcement of the
Ecuadorean judgment.
REUTERS/Guillermo Granja/Files
REUTERS/Guillermo Granja/Files
When the Ecuadorian judge first ruled in favor of indigenous groups, they said:
"Today's case is historic and unprecedented. It is the first time Indigenous people have sued a multinational corporation in the country where the crime was committed and won."
Since then, the government of Ecuador and the United Nations Development Programme signed a historic deal to leave an estimated 846 million barrels of crude oil untapped beneath Yasunà National Park, a World Biosphere Reserve since 1989.
SOURCE
A waste pit filled with crude oil left by Texaco
drilling operations years earlier lies in a jungle clearing near the
Amazonian town of Sacha, Ecuador in this October 21, 2003 file
photograph. Chevron Corp on October 9, 2012 lost a U.S. Supreme Court
bid to block an $18.2 billion judgment against it in Ecuador in a case
over pollution in the Amazon jungle. The Supreme Court did not give any
explanation for its decision, which rejected Chevron's appeal of a lower
court ruling. The lower court in January had thrown out an injunction
blocking enforcement of the Ecuadorean judgment.
REUTERS/Lou Dematteis/Files
REUTERS/Lou Dematteis/Files
VIDEO 18 Years of Fighting Chevron
It is about time. Oil companies operate like a criminal gang, stealing land, oil and lives of local people. They do not care for anything but profits, and they do not share with the local people. This is still far short of justice as the settlement is way too small, but it is a start. Kudos to the Supreme Court for doing it right this time.
It's long over due for a change, Capitalism has been careless and cruel backing corporate greed, now if only Mother Earth would have her day in the sun.
Fantastic! Victory for us all! The difficult work has just begun. Sorrow for all the damage that has already been done. Our grandchildren will live with this still.
May Mother Earth have more days in the sun. The supreme court did something positive.
What a heartbreaking song she sings. they shouldve had her sing her song to the oil company in court! Big oil companies will never feel for they see only, see money!! Congratulations to the Indigenous, it gives the rest of us hope!
no amount of money can bring back a clean environment
My congratulations to the Amazon's Indigenous Groups. If only the Big Oil Companies would learn from this and grow a conscience.
GOOD!! I am glad the Amazon's PPL won. I hate that big oil companys think they can go anywhere in the world and get away with such horrific damages to nature and the ppl that live there.
Let's make this the3 beginning of countless more!!!
I am so happy for the people to win against big oil. Now we need to switch to solar and wind power to put them out of business. The time of big oil is over.
The era of oil is gone. It is past time for big oil to pay for their messes.
Kudos to the Supreme Court for doing it right this time
I would call the appeal to The U S Supreme Court a frivolous act on the part of Chevron Attorneys; and sanction them and their clients, heavily.
Paul R. Laubhan
Please think about this, because this is the crux of the issue in the upcoming election. These American companies, and their millionaire lawyers, actually believe that they should by their rights be able to commit horribly egregious crimes under the laws of the countries they are operating in, be brought to justice in the countries where they committed the crimes, and expect that American courts will not not only accept jurisdiction over crimes committed, acted on by police authority, charges brought, the criminals convicted and sentenced in the countries were the crimes were committed, the convicted criminals in their incredible arrogance believe justice would be served by our Supreme Court overturning justice meted out in a country other than the United States. Then do what? Send in the Marine Corps to enforce American's subjugation of their legal system. Actually, I think we should start another war. Wer'e done with Iraq (Or so we're told) Let's get started with the next war. Now, I have worn the uniform, and been under arms. 40 years ago in Viet Nam, another place we should have never been. I am convinced that the main reason we are involved in all of these wars is because the military-industrial complex has to be maintained. For example, we have 11 Nimitz class Airccraft carriers. The combined total of of the rest of the world's carriers is 10. One of our ships carries 90 F-18 Hornets, Super Hornets, and other assorted fighters, bombers, and other state of the art planes. One of our carriers can put off the shore of anybody it wants to, bringing with it more aircraft than most foreign Air Forces can field in total, when they're all flying. What is our next plan? Invade the entire solar system? Aamerica! You have the power to change this insanity. For the sake of the men and women who will come home in a box, or without legs, stop these people!
Jeez man! Stay on the topic. You're trying to handle WAY too many topics in one paragraph, and in fact, sometimes in one long sentence. I respect your opinions but you lose the reader here in my humble opinion.
Further - in light of Chevron's example - this world in in a big crappy mess. I have little faith in humanity in general. Greed rules. The selfishness encouraged from capitalism is too great to overcome. What's more, people (including myself sometimes I must admit) aren't willing to face the hard truth of themselves or of others or the reality of how sh_tty things are for fear on coming too short on what they want ... not need. My opinions only of course.