FICTION:
“‘Chevron’s mischaracterization of the evidence against it in Ecuador is a clear example of insensitivity to human suffering and a failure to comply with the company’s legal obligations,’ said Pablo Fajardo, the lead lawyer in Ecuador for the Amazon communities.” – Amazon Defense Coalition Press Release: 6/4/09
FACT:
There is no question that the people of the Oriente region face a series of challenges regarding the health in their communities. However, they are being deceived by the trial lawyers and activists who have brought this lawsuit.
The major health concerns in the Oriente region are not the result of oil operations, but are related to a lack of water treatment infrastructure, a lack of sufficient sanitation infrastructure and inadequate access to medical care. The people there, like those in other parts of Ecuador, are suffering from a lack of proper municipal infrastructure for essential services like clean water and sewage treatment.
The truth is that the plaintiffs have not presented any medical evidence to support their accusations regarding health impacts. Moreover, Texaco Petroleum, as designated by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Energy and Mines and overseen by Petroecuador and the government of Ecuador, fully complied with legal obligations by performing remediation activity at 133 of the 321 Consortium well sites (equal to its stake in the consortium with Petroecuador). In fact, the cleanup work was supervised by the government of Ecuador and scientifically verified by two independent laboratories. As a result of the successful remediation, Texaco Petroleum was released of any further liability in Ecuador.
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