Chevron will have to pay more than $ 9 million for damage to the environment in Ecuador

Residents complain of pollution generated oil holdings.Ecuadorian Justice sentenced Monday Chevron to a fine for environmental damage in the Ecuadorian Amazon millionaire 13 years Texaco American multinational oil company exploitation was purchased in 2001.

Case, Nicolás Zambrano said oil American judge must cancel certain Aboriginal 8.646 million in damage to the environment.

Chevron must also pay additional 10% by the repair of damage to the affected communities.

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In a statement released to the media after the decision, counsel for the plaintiff, Pablo Fajardo, stated that the peoples of the Amazon of the North "fought legally reaching the company formerly Texaco, Chevron responds with his crime and pays economic costs for the repair of damage to the environment.

"As we can see, this amount is minimal repair real environmental, social, cultural and human crime caused by Chevron, however, is a big step, we took the crystallization of Justice," Fajardo said.

In addition, Chevron said "Ecuadorian court decision is unlawful and unenforceable. It is the product of a fraud and totally contrary to what claims legitimate and scientific evidence. Chevron use this decision to the Ecuador and hope that justice prevails.

"Two United States as of the tribunals courts have already taken steps to prevent the application of the judgment rendered by the Ecuadorian Court." "Chevron now includes arbitration does not apply to any court that are committed to the rule of law", said the company.

Unfavourable Chevron responds to three days after a formation of the Permanent Court of arbitration in the Hague prohibit temporarily the application of the sentence against the oil company.

Pablo Fajardo, counsel for the plaintiffs, said that the fine of $ 8,000 million.

In September 2009, Chevron filed for arbitration to the Court under the Treaty of bilateral investment between the United States and Ecuador.

The company American believes that the Ecuadorian State did to comply with the agreements signed in Texaco 1990s relieved of any future obligation after having corrected a third swimming pool constructed for waste oil.

According to the agreement refers to the pools of oil remaining in the province of Sucumbíos-company more than 260 - are the responsibility of Petroecuador State, the State had at the time of the oil contract complete the majority of the Consortium as a whole.

Also last week, a judge in New York - in the third legal edge of litigation - an order temporary restriction that prevents the plaintiffs paid compensation to comply with any judicial decision.

Texaco, which was acquired by Chevron in 2001, began to seek oil in 1964 in the province of Sucumbíos in Ecuador you with company Renault. Three years later found the first site: Lago Agrio 1.

Years later joined the State of the Ecuador of the Consortium and in 1990, Texaco ceased operations operating but continues to be part of the Consortium, at this point was controlled by the State of enterprise Petroecuador.

1993 Has filed a first lawsuit against Texaco in the United States, but the courts of this country has decided that the case must be judged in Ecuador. The trial in the city of Nueva Loja, Lago Agrio, the France began in 2003 and ended on Monday.

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