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“Both sides agreed to expand cooperation in all fields,” he said, on the sidelines of his meeting with Ecuadorian First Vice President Lenin Moreno in Tehran on Sunday, the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network reported.

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“This is Silvia Garrigo from Chevron.  I want to thank RAN for the opportunity yesterday to meet with Emergildo, Maria, and Mitch.  Spending an hour together in our headquarters and hearing Emergildo’s story was a valuable experience.  We can all agree that his personal story is moving and heartfelt.  And we can all agree that there are unacceptable environmental conditions in Ecuador’s Amazon.  While there may be many areas where we do not agree, it is important for us to listen to each other.  We believe RAN and Chevron can share common ground on some important points.  Thank you again for meeting with us.  We look forward to continuing a constructive dialogue.”

Chevron views Tuesday’s meeting as an important first step towards building trust.  It is our hope that subsequent meetings can move future conversations past rhetoric and towards a constructive dialogue about solutions.

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– A report last month from another court-appointed expert showed that water in the area is heavily contaminated with fecal bacteria. Chevron has long argued that contamination from bacteria – not oil – is responsible for health problems in the region.

– An investigation into one of the case’s previous judges found Monday that clandestinely recorded videos of the judge, released by Chevron last year, were authentic and unaltered. The videos show Judge Juan Nunez discussing the case with two men seeking oil field cleanup contracts. At one point, the judge agrees with a statement from one of the men that Chevron is the “guilty party” in the case. The incident prompted a government investigation.

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In late August of last year, it was revealed on video that Judge Juan Núñez, who was then presiding over the lawsuit against Chevron in Ecuador, had prejudged the case (even though evidence was still being submitted and final arguments had not been held) and may be involved in a $3 million bribery scheme.

The judge was willing to talk about his pending decision with businessmen (Hansen) seeking post-verdict remediation contracts. The following is a transcript of that conversation:

- Núñez: “Any other questions for me as a judge?”

- Hansen: “Oh no, I, I know clearly how it is, you say, Chevron is the guilty party?”

- Núñez: “Yes Sir.”

- Hansen: “And the, the, the act (decision) is October or November of this year?”

- Núñez: “Yes Sir.”

- Hansen: “And it’s …?”

- Núñez: “No later than January.”

- Hansen: “January 2010. And the money is twenty-seven (billion dollars)?”

- Núñez: “It might be less, and it might be more.”

After analyzing the videos from which this conversation was transcribed, the expert found that:

1. The videos were authentic and showed no evidence whatsoever of any kind of manipulation.
2. The videos were proven to a scientific certainty to contain the unaltered voices of purported government officials and others who participated in the meetings.

The expert report puts to rest the false claims that the plaintiffs’ lawyers and Judge Núñez himself have made in attempts to cover up this abuse of the judicial system. Judge Núñez insisted to the Wall Street Journal that he could “see things that have been erased” and that someone “cut and pasted certain things.”

In calling into question the authenticity of the video tapes, the plaintiffs’ representatives had also insisted that the tapes had been digitally altered.

The expert’s report further emphasizes the improper conduct on the part of Judge Núñez as well as individuals affiliated with Ecuador’s ruling political party. To date, Judge Núñez has not been sanctioned for his misconduct and his prior rulings in the Chevron lawsuit remain part of the record.

In one camp are countries such as Chile, Colombia and Panama, which are actively promoting the rule of law. By fostering an investment climate that supports job creation and economic growth, they have advanced the prosperity of their citizens.

In another camp are countries such as Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua, which have taken stances inimical to the rule of law and hostile to international investment. Unsurprisingly, they have seen growth and investment collapse.

The difference in outcome is stark. The UN’s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean has for several years reported that countries in the second group have attracted almost no foreign direct investment, and economic growth and job creation have suffered.
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The new judge will take up the case involving a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit against Chevron Corp. (CVX).

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The change was described as an administrative matter not expected to impact the outcome of the case.

Leonardo Ordonez, the newly named president of Sucumbios provincial court, was named to replace outgoing court president Nicolas Zambrano. Local law says the court’s chief judge must hear environmental damages cases in the northern province.

“I see no problem with Ordonez continuing the process,” plaintiffs’ lawyer Pablo Fajardo told Reuters.

“It is an administrative matter, a routine rotation of the presidency of the Sucumbios provincial court,” said Chevron spokesman James Craig. “On the face of it, it should not have any impact on Chevron’s case.”

Zambrano took over the case last year when the previous judge, Juan Nunez, stepped down after he was secretly taped discussing the suit with two mysterious men who recorded the conversation with secret cameras stuck inside a wristwatch and a pen.

Plaintiffs accuse Texaco, which was bought by Chevron in 2001, of polluting the Amazon with faulting drilling practices in the 1970s and 1980s. Chevron denies the accusations.

Ecuador’s leftist leader Rafael Correa has said publicly that he sides with the plaintiffs, sparking charges by Chevron of government interference in the case. The initial ruling is expected by both sides to go against Chevron.

But the company vows to appeal any decision for the plaintiffs, ensuring the case will probably stretch for years more.
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