Monday, February 20, 2012

Ecuador Appellate Court Says Ecuadorians’ Human Rights Take Precedent

Chevron’s secret arbitration panel has demanded that Ecuador do the oil giant’s bidding and stop enforcement of the $18 billion judgment against the company. Chevron has tried to convince journalists covering the case that the panel has the authority to tell another country’s court system what to do.

Prestigious international jurists have said nonsense. Human rights and trade groups in the U.S. have said nonsense.

Now the Ecuador court system has weighed in, too.

“A simple arbitration award, although it may bind Ecuador, cannot obligate Ecuador’s judges to violate the human rights of our citizens. That would not only run counter to the rights guaranteed by our Constitution, but would also violate the most important international obligations assumed by Ecuador in matters of human rights.”

“…this Division finds that no court in Ecuador has power or legal foundation that exceeds Article 11 of the Cassation Act on which to support the possibility of suspending the processing, hearing, or enforcement of any legal proceeding without incurring severe, even criminal, liability with respect to the parties.”

Exactly, and enough said.

Now watch a video that tells the true story about Chevron in Ecuador at www.chevrontoxico.com