The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals has refused Chevron again, denying its motion to block enforcement of the $18 billion judgment in Ecuador. This is the third consecutive legal setback for Chevron. Here's the statement from the Ecuadorians, who against all odds have defeated the oil giant and its 39 law firms and 500 lawyers fighting five impoverished indigenous tribes in the Amazon rainforest.
"The Ecuadorian communities affected by Chevron's contamination are one step closer to justice as a result of today's ruling. For almost two decades, Chevron has stood in the way of a comprehensive cleanup of billions of gallons of crude oil and toxic waste water it deliberately dumped into the pristine rainforest. Thousands of people have died or suffered as the oil giant and its legions of lawyers have fought to distract attention from the overwhelming evidence against the company.
"Now a U.S. appellate court has refused to grant Chevron relief from blocking the $18 billion judgment of an Ecuadorian court that it should pay for a clean-up. With its promise to fight the Ecuadorians until hell freezes over, Chevron reveals its callous disregard for the rule of law and the humanity of indigenous groups.
"Chevron's legal options to evade the Ecuador judgment continue to narrow. Chevron's shareholders must now understand that the company's management team is putting their interests at great risk due to the company's bungling of the Ecuador litigation."In September, a federal appellate panel blocked Chevron's attempt to seek an unprecedented worldwide injunction blocking enforcement. A federal district recently denied Chevron's illegal attempt to freeze the assets of the plaintiffs. Chevron's latest attempt to lift an injunction blocking enforcement also has been denied. These defeats follow a January 3rd appellate court ruling in Ecuador confirming the validity of the trial court judgment.
Visit ChevronToxico to find out more. Become a follower of The Chevron Pit. Support Amazon Watch and Rainforest Action Network.