“Major U.S. business groups are stepping up pressure on President Barack Obama’s administration to suspend longtime trade benefits for Ecuador, citing the Andean country’s mistreatment of Chevron Corp as proof of a deteriorating investment climate”, Reuters said September 26.

The alleged mistreatment is “Ecuador’s pursing of justice for victims of pollution caused by the activities of oil corporation Texaco (now part of Chevron) in the country. In February last year, an Ecuadorian court ordered Chevron to pay damages for the pollution. Reuters said a court ruling in August raised the total amount to be paid to US$19 billion

The case was filed on behalf of about 30,000 peasants, farmers, and indigenous Ecuadorians who have suffered from the pollution. Nearly 20 billion gallons of polluted water, oil and toxic waste was released into the ecosystem between 1972 and 1990 by Texaco in eastern Ecuador.

The pollution has caused thousands of deaths, cancers, birth defects, large-scale environmental damage and huge economic loss.

1. fromstarstostarfish reblogged this from mochente and added:

   And I’m sure this has nothing at all to do with Ecuador’s decision to hold Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks, in the...

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3. buzzkillscg reblogged this from becauseithinktoomuch and added:

   D’aw. Poor Chevron. Come here, everybody, look at how big a bully mean old Ecuador is to poor little Chevron! Revolting.

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