The Chevron Ecuador Lawsuit Trial | Chevron's Views & Opinions

FICTION:
“The evidence clearly documents how Chevron created a cancer pit in the Amazon to save money in its production costs.” - Pablo Fajardo, Amazon Defense Front Press Release: 2/28/08

FACT:
In 15 years of litigation the Amazon Defense Coalition has yet to submit a single piece of medical evidence to substantiate cancer claims.

Medical and scientific experts have reviewed the studies used by the plaintiffs to support their claims and each expert independently concluded that they are flawed, biased and inconclusive.

Arana and Arellano’s published letter in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2007 shows that there is not an increased risk of cancer in the village of San Carlos.

Kelsh, et al, concluded in their 2008 peer reviewed paper published in International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, “The national mortality data collected and summarized by INEC does not currently support a relationship of oil extraction activities and adverse health outcomes in potentially exposed communities.”

Neither the plaintiffs’ attorneys nor Mr. Cabrera have submitted any valid evidence to the court to support that there are increased health or cancer  risks in the area.  Mr. Cabrera submitted only a summary of an opinion survey from which he extrapolated approximately $9.2B for individual cancer deaths. Not only is his reported cancer death rate more than 250 times higher than that reported by the Ecuadorian government for this region of the Amazon, he fails to name a single beneficiary to collect the dollar damages. Instead plaintiffs have announced that all damage awards will go the Amazon Defense Front.

“Chevron, Ecuador and the Organized Shake-Down, Part I”
Shopfloor, May 26, 2009
“an attack on Chevron’s reputation, part of a coordinated campaign meant to bully the company into settling a multibillion dollar lawsuit brought by U.S. trial lawyers” … “Chevron has facts on its side.”
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“Trashing Chevron in Amazon Court”
By Judy Lloyd – Fox and Hounds Daily, May 26, 2009
“Not surprisingly, because they are a successful company, they are also a target for trial lawyers seeking to line their pockets through endless litigation.”
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“Following The Money Difficult in Ecuador Lawsuit”
Bob McCarty Writes, May 26, 2009
“Americans deserve to know more about the people behind the lawsuit, how they’ve raised money (if any) and how they’ve spent money to advance the lawsuit.”
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The court appointed expert, Richard Cabrera, has suggested a wholly illegitimate and unsubstantiated damage and penalty recommendation against Chevron in excess of $27 billion. Mr. Cabrera was not only paid solely by the plaintiffs, but he openly relied on them to staff his effort while seeking to obstruct Chevron’s representatives from even observing his work. Major portions of his submissions to the court are copied from the plaintiffs own submissions, if not written by them directly. His work product is devoid of scientific content, lacks even the most basic evidentiary support, and assesses monetary relief for alleged environmental damage and health claims he has never even bothered to investigate, inspect or verify.

“Justice or extortion? The hounding of an American oil company”
The Economist, May 21, 2009
“The judge in Lago Agrio, Juan Nunez, is expected to rule on the case later this year. He has made no secret of his sympathy for the plaintiffs. The lawsuit appears to have the backing of Mr. Correa’s government.”
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“The Combine: Activists, Lawyers and Ecuador Attacking Chevron”
Shopfloor, May 8, 2009
“President Correa agitates against American oppressors just as Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and Evo Morales in Bolivia do, and Chevron is a handy, wealthy target.”
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“Ecuador grabs for Chevron’s wallet”
The Washington Times, May 7, 2009
“This looks like an Ecuadorian shakedown of millions of American small investors who have a stake in Chevron. Now that is a story worth investigating.”
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