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| Delirio Mìstico (vocalist of the group 7 de brillo) shined during his presentation in Chulluype for a sea without stains of oil, a counter-advertising creation of Texaco. |
February 14, 2011.- The most anticipated verdict of the last 17 years has just been made public. Nicolás Zambrano, judge of the Court of Nueva Loja, recognized that the North American company Chevron-Texaco is guilty of the contamination it left in the Ecuadorian Amazon during its 26 years of operation.
“The judge has done justice and has seen the reality. We know that this is only one part of our struggle and we will continue until justice is done and the damage is remedied. The world must know what happened in the Amazon and that our struggle is for life, for justice,” said Humberto Piaguaje, leader of the Secoyas.
The damage caused by ChevronTexaco is the largest in history related to oil pollution, not even surpassed by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill caused by BP. The damage caused by Chevron is 10 times greater.
“We can tell our neighbors and those affected that justice exists. They can dream of being able to drink clean water, without oil residues like we have had to drink until now, we can dream that the land will begin to clean up and improve, we can dream of a better life,” said Guillermo Grefa, leader of the Kichwa community.
The Judge ruled that Chevron must pay 8 billion dollars for the damages caused and must also pay the 10% imposed by the Environmental Management Law…. “No amount in the world can restore the lives, the damage caused by this contamination, but this amount is not enough to remedy all that was affected. Let us remember that water, life, and the Earth were damaged; that many people died, that is why we believe that the amount should be revised,” said Luis Yanza, coordinator of the Assembly of People Affected by Texaco.
In the ruling, Judge Zambrano also states that the North American multinational must publicly apologize to the victims of the Ecuadorian Amazon for the crime committed. If Chevron refuses, it must pay 100% more than the established economic amount; that is, the economic figure could rise to more than 16 billion dollars.
In determining the total amount that Chevron-Texaco must pay, the judge did not take into account the much-mentioned report of the expert Richard Cabrera, who according to the oil company conspired with the plaintiffs to extort the company. The judge based his ruling on the nearly 100 reports of other experts, many of them paid by Chevron-Texaco itself, who also indicated that there was contamination.
Those affected see this ruling as the beginning of justice, although they know well that the fight will continue and that, above all, Chevron will begin a series of campaigns to discredit reality and try to change the sentence in its favor. For this reason, those affected say that they will be attentive and will continue with the fight until final justice arrives.
To explain and analyze the scope of this decision, the assembly of those affected by Texaco will hold a press conference this month.arts May 15, 2011, from the 10:00 hours in the city of Quito, in CIESPAL, Calicuchima Hall. Diego de Almagro Avenue N32-133 and Andrade Marin
Assembly of People Affected by Texaco
e-mail: casotexaco@gmail.com
2273533-2454844
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