Read Up: Great Articles On Ecuador Vs. Chevron-Texaco
Oil transformed Ecuador into an economic power - but it came at a high cost. The environmental and social damage done to the country from shoddy oil practices were met with a contentious legal battle, which is still brewing to this day. The following articles present the full story to readers interested in getting the whole story behind the spill.
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By Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker
Keefe profiles well-known lawyer Steven Donziger and examines his fight against Chevron-Texaco. Painted by the media in turn as fraud and saint, Donziger is one of the most important figures in the lawsuit's journey.
"Amazon Crusader. Chevron Pest. Fraud?"
By Paul Barrett, Businessweek
This article is another profile of the mysterious Donziger, but also presents a chronological view of the legal battle as well. Barrett examines the relationships between the plaintiffs and various activist groups, as well as context on the documentary footage collected during the filming of "Crude: The Real Price of Oil."
"World Pays Ecuador Not To Extract Oil From Rainforest"
By John Vidal, The Guardian
An alliance of international companies, governments and foundations hosted a crowdfunding initiative and raised $116 million to convince the Ecuadorian government to stop oil production. However, Ecuador said they'd only agree if the alliance was able to raise 50 percent of $7.6 billion, which is what the country receives in oil revenue.
"Chevron Case Highlights Difficulty Of Making Oil Companies Pay For Spills"
By Stacy Feldman, InsideClimate News
Did the judgement against Chevron create precedent for spill accountability? Feldman explores the difference between promises and legally binding agreements by citing case studies of not only oil spills, but fracking, too.
"Amazonian Chernobyl - Ecuador's Oil Environment Disaster"
By Clare Kendall, The Telegraph
Kendall explores the plight of the Ecuadorian people, describing ailments and difficulties natives have experienced since oil infiltrated their lives. She profiles local hero and environmentalist Pablo Fajardo in his fight against one of the biggest energy companies in the world.
