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Ecuador: A setback for Chevron
Noticias Aliadas/Latin American Press
QUITO
Petroleumworld.com 06 29 07
A US District Court judge in New York state June 19 ruled that the US oil company Chevron could not hold arbitration hearings there against the Ecuadorian government and its state oil company.In 1993, some 30,000 indigenous and campesino residents in Ecuador’s Amazon jungle filed suit against Texaco, as Chevron, which merged with Texaco and dropped the latter’s name, for allegedly spilling toxic waste water in the area, causing widespread environmental and health damage when it operated there between 1964 and 1992 (LP, June 18 and Nov. 5, 2003; Oct. 18, 2006).
Judge Leonard Sand ruled that Chevron must follow Ecuadorian law. He also struck down a request by Chevron for the Ecuadorian government and Petroecuador to share the legal costs and any possible damages the company would have to pay.
The plaintiffs are seeking US$6 billion in damages.
Noticias Aliadas/Latin American Press 28 06 07
Copyright© 2007Noticias Aliadas/Latin American Press. All Rights Reserved.
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