World's Largest Environmental Lawsuit in Ecuador

[sdrawkcabgnipytmi]

@100inkersell

I agree in principle, but where should I buy by gasoline? I'm not going to go to Chevron ever again, but what oil company is worth "supporting?" (it's not realistic to stop driving for me)

[BOZ11]

@100inkersell So if there's an oligopoly within said market (OPEC) i.e there is little choice, then all the people who consume oil in some form (petrol/diesel/plastics/etc) is just as evil (even though these practices are unbeknownst to them) as the the corporations themselves? Don't be a retard

[Traveller1612]

@100inkersell

Really? Do you ever buy gasoline? Eat GMA foods? Drink Fluoridated water?

Please think before you speak.....

[Lexman00]

Whoa, you went too far on last part. What I said had nothing to do with loosing freedom.What I said was that we as HUMANS NEED TO RISE TOGETHER TOWARD PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY NOT COMPETE TOWARD IT. Also, just like you say true capitalism has never been used, you do realize that true communism has never been used and countries are only communist in name. Communism isn't even a system, it's more of a philosophy, and it too has been used with bad meaning on purpose. I prefer resource-based economy.

[fresniak]

@Lexman00 "I prefer resource-based economy." I prefer people to be left to choose whatever economy they want. The only thing what matters is LIBERTY and RESPECT of individual rights. If you want to trade goods without money that's ok for me. If someone wants to use gold, fine. But if the government settles with central banks to make a debt based fiat currency to enslave the people of the nations, IT?S WRONG and it is not free market and true capitalism.

[NicosNicosNicosNicos]

@Lexman00 Amen. Bien dicho.

[rwethereyuk]

As flawed as the Capitalist (free market) system is, it is by far the best way to go. Why would anyone want to change to a Socialist system, unless you will be part of the ruling class? Ok!! just say we leave the free market system. Don't you realize that the rich businessmen you so despise will then be the rulers and free to break any law they so desire.

[fresniak]

@rwethereyuk "As flawed as the Capitalist (free market) system is" This is NOT a free market system, FOOL. In a free market the government would not make me pay taxes, would not make my small business close, would not impose a lot of regulations on what I can sell, buy or produce just coz it benefits big names, would not sell-away the country to big corps, would not make deal with banks and elites. YOU ARE A FOOL if you think we're living in a free market . It is just statism and slavery

[rwethereyuk]

@fresniak Not sure what you are advocating. If you don't believe in the free market (or trying to correct it), then what is your belief? R we talking about rule of the law or we talking about being ruled by a Socialist or Communist body, I think that some of the rules (rule of law) need to be changed but we dont need a revolution to do that. We all need to let them know that we will not be tolerate the government's abuse of power. We could start with term limits.

[fresniak]

@rwethereyuk I believe in a free market and free society. But this we are living in IS NOT SUCH

[fresniak]

@rwethereyuk "Not sure what you are advocating" " I think that some of the rules (rule of law) need to be changed but we dont need a revolution to do that. "

We need a radical change in the structure of power, we need people to be able to vote directly on laws to put vetos, we need the constitution be restored, we need to abolish central banks and start with a new monetary system which is not based on debt. We need all big corps and banks to bankrupt and restart all over again.

[rwethereyuk]

@fresniak Radical Change....

Some of what you say, Ok. I wish we could vote on issues..The alert ones would read the bills before casting their vote..Most of the Britney, Lohan & Paris worshipers would not even know a vote was being taken. The lobbists would be out of business. We could vote to open the Fed's books, just before we CAN the Fed. Just for being there, the Feds get 5% of every $ that is printed, but none of the coinage.

Go back to the constitution as it was before W. Wilson.

[fresniak]

@rwethereyuk well it's even simpler. I would still give the government power to write laws but the citizens will have power to put a veto on them or abolish them. We just need veto power, we don't need to replace the parliament (at least for now). This way gvt will not be able to pass the thousands of unconstitutional laws it passes every year. We r in the internet era such kind of direct democracy is possible. People will return to vote when they see their vote really counts.

[fresniak]

@rwethereyuk Yes together with having a form of direct democracy within the constitution we'd need to end the fed and any other central banks in the world. We need the govt to print money FOR the people not to enslave the people. I have interesting ideas how to do it and i think it can work. there should be no taxation and no obligation to use gvt money (competition of currencies). Finally we need a much smaller role of gvt and no selling the public good and resources to private corporations.

[TokyoMetal777]

Biggest tragedy in all this, is that... essentially, no one cares. "Real news" like this, get next to no hits or the attention deserved. Yet, I could upload a video of me putting a milkshake into a microwave, and get 100,000 hits in a week. American corporations (not exclusively, but primarily) and through them, their primary consumers (the American people) have always been good a making sure they don't shit where they eat. But they'll gladly shit where YOU eat.

[meeputube]

More people would care if these people were blue and not brown. Sadly.

[Lexman00]

My heart goes out to all the people that suffered and lost family because of this environmental disaster. I hope Chevron is sued and is made to fucking pay every single penny they owe.

[ekirent]

I'm so angry.

[Alberto2382]

I'm glad the realnews is starting to cover environmental issues. These kind of reports are much needed today. If the corporations continue to assault the environment industrial civilization may come to a halt.

[waubamikrider]

@100inkersell

Come on now. Its pretty hard to not by gasoline and still be an active part of society etc. Not everyone can live close to work. This Company should be shut down and all assets given to ecudor, and the country of the companies orgin (US) should support this. They wouldn't take this shit it their country, WHY THE DOUBLE STANDARD? And people ask why the world (on a personal level, just travel) hate americans. Could it be OUR corps and government are throwing to many rocks?

[sarastar60]

@100inkersell and the rest of the thumbs up. I am tired of the corporations blaming the consumers. We do not support these kinds of practises. There is always going to be "pollution", or wastage no matter what we do, BUT NATURE CAN RESTORE ITSELF if not done in such a gross way. Chevron made a lot of money, but that was not enough, they did not want to spend the extra money to do it properly. Like said at 9:00, they are not against oil exploration, just the method in which it is done.

[DubWoodcock]

@100inkersell realistic sloution... puff' everone who gave this a thumbs up did it on a micrsoft computer, and filled their gas tank at some point in the last two weeks....

[drchaffee]

Interesting that I watched the documentary "crude" on Netflix about this, and shed a tear for their indigenous people - only to realize I've been conditioned to be perfectly ambivalent to the indigenous people in my own country. In the US, the Lakota Nation actually defeated the US Army, and a treaty was negotiated giving them a chunk of land practically the size of Iceland. Another treaty the US forgot to honor. Instead they got diabetes, slums, and the occasional bingo parlor. What a sham.

[GlobalRealNews]

How is the first world? cool?

[crawfordviolin]

I did a paper on this for business law... Oil companies are all the same... Just a bunch of assholes.

[drchaffee]

I really can't believe it. Did I miss it? Not one word of the fabulous 2009 documentary about this whole Chevron/Ecuador mess?

It's available on Netflix streaming, and it's called "Crude" by filmmaker Joe Berlinger. I gave it four stars. It really makes you understand in your gut how money impedes justice, stalling (sometimes forever) verdicts until many or all of the victims are long since dead.

My question is why hasn't Ecuador relocated these people away from the toxic filth?

[mikwid]

@drchaffee - This may have to do with the feelings between the rich and poor.  The wealthy in Ecuador really don't consider the indigenous people unless it directly affects them. It's not that they're uncaring, it is the way it has been for many, many years. A few very wealthy and the rest dirt poor.

[drchaffee]

@mikwid Very intriguing/nuanced, and I agree. Research indicates that human morality, as objectively elucidated via the scientific method, is inversely proportional to number. If one person is in danger and could be saved by 50 bucks - the subject feels very moved to help. If 30,000 people are in danger, the subject's reaction is one of withdraw. It's not that they are uncaring 'monsters'. It just feels like sending hair dryers to the Titanic, so they can evaporate their way out of danger.

[Quranite]

Until the Ecuadorian government gets serious this will never be solved. They need to go and empty all thos oil pits. They need to use natural oil eating bacteria to dissolve that oil and get it out of the drinking water as well. Chevron could fix the problem and it wouldn't cost that much, but they'd rather pay court fees than do the right thing. Those folks are Hell-bound.

[jorgedude888]

AS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN I AM DEEPLY OFFENDED BY THE DESTRUCTIVE ACTIONS OF AMERICAN OIL COMPANIES IN THE WORLD PATRIMONY OF THE AMAZON. I PROTEST !!!

[fresniak]

@jorgedude888 start not buying oil then

[jorgedude888]

@fresniak I RATHER PAY A COUPLE OF CENTS MORE PER GALLON OF GAS AND KNOW THAT THE AMAZON AND IT'S PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING DESTROYED. BAD "PUBLIC RELATIONS" FOR USA, AND YOU KNOW IT.

[heckler73]

Meanwhile, on MSM outlets like CNBC, you only see analysts saying "Buy CHEVRON stock, because they have a low Price to Cash-flow ratio".

Such is the insanity of the twisted world we live in.

Thankfully, REAL NEWS brings us these stories that would never see the light of day under "controlled" circumstances.

I can only hope that some manner of Justice comes from all this, even if it only hits the pocket book of the psychopathic corporations (and yes, that is what they are, by definition)

[JaCorBoar]

Chevron should have all its assetts seized world-wide.

[JackB733]

Capitalism in action, once again.

[fresniak]

@JackB733 it's not capitalism, it's Statism and Corporatism Learn the Difference. Capitalism is a good thing it's about economic liberty (the same liberty the poor people of ecuador should be entitled to) , which does not mean corporations can destroy people's life and environment. The Ecuador government (and most likely the world bank) is in it as much as the oil corporations, because it allowed the corporations to do that.

[JackB733]

@fresniak Sounds like you have an awful lot to learn then if you think it's all just like that.... Pick up some Marx sometime and do some reading, youll learn allot.

That's all I can say, come back to me then.

Until then, it's not even worth trying to debate you on this subject.

[fresniak]

@JackB733 I may have a lot to learn but you have no argument against what I said. Marx was a well know free-mason. We do not need communism or socialism, we need REAL Economic Freedom and Real Capitals (not the ones created out of nothing by banks) based economy. IF you do that Big corporations will disappear cause they will not be able to withstand the market. Today we do not have this. If you have any argument to discuss then throw it in, otherwise you're just a poor talking mouth.

[Lexman00]

@fresniak Sorry, I don't agree with capitalism. Capitalism is a zero sum game that breeds corruption from profit greed and sets hegemony ideals. Why must profit be so imporatant? The capitalist system relies on keeping other countries in 3rd world so as to extract or exploit their raw resources and use them for their own economic growth and dominance. If anything, I would prefer we all switch to a resource based economy. Let's stop competing with each other and RISE TOGETHER toward prosperity.

[rwethereyuk]

@Lexman00 Whoa now!! Socialism is not the answer to their problem. Part of the problem is the leaders of their country made a deal with the devil (Chevron) which filled their pockets with cash. To heck with their countrymen. Capitalism breeds BIG business and those evil fat Capitalist hire us people to work at a decent wage. There is no limit to what a capitalist (you and I) can earn depending on how much brain and sweat we are willing to put into it. I and my friends will boycot Chevron.

[blackiron60]

@rwethereyuk The last thing people need is to be dependent on a big businessman who can fire you at any time in the name of "efficiency". Get your head out of the clouds mate. Most people in this world struggle all their lives to put food on the table, harder than anyone on Wall Street has ever worked, and yet I don't see them becoming millionaires. These indigenous people in Equador work hard too and always have but then capitalism started killing them.

[rwethereyuk]

@blackiron60 Big businessmen will do whatever they can get away with. A drug Co. knowing that a drug is killing people will continue to market the drug until the FDA or a lawsuit stops them. Under our free market system, we can sue and prosecute those evil people and get a bit of justice, but with Socialim you have no rights. Workers get much lower wages, while the rulers keep all the profit. So, how does replacing rich businessmen with rich tyrant rulers help anyone except the rich tyrants?

[blackiron60]

@rwethereyuk What the hell are you talking about? "Rich tyrants"? Stalin (and I assume that's who you're talking about) certainly wasn't rich by American standards. You want to see a rich tyrant, check out the very pro-American King of Saudi Arabia, or the very pro-capitalist Augusto Pinochet, or the highly corrupt Boris Yeltsin or George W. Bush for that matter. I don't know of any socialist country where leaders had anything close to the personal wealth capitalist leaders have.

[rwethereyuk]

@blackiron60 R U, even for 1 second advocating a system that would include the likes of a Stalin or Lenin to be your leader. Listen, I agree with you on disliking the wealthy people you mentioned above, but they can't hold a candle to Stalin. There is some argument as to how many of his countrymen he killed, slautered, done away with. Whether you say it was a mere 30 million or as records indicate as many as 60 million people died at the hands of Stalin and about that many in China with Mao.

[fresniak]

@Lexman00 Capitalism is often used with bad meaning, on purpose. The truth is we never had a true capitalism system. Capitalism just means one thing, that you are free to make your own economic way and NOBODY should interfere with it, unless you violate others rights. In other words true capitalism is about letting people free to make their way in life as in business, it is not about greed (NOT AT ALL). Unfortunately this is NOT how the current economic system is setup and operates.

[fresniak]

@Lexman00 As for your claim that "it's all about profit and making money" some people are hard workers and they like it, shouldn't they not be allowed to get the fair prize for their work? Do you want everyone be the same? Work without incentive? Work without MEANING? Cohoperation is beautiful, but cohoperation without freedom is just slavery. Competition is not a bad thing, it is a game and it is good as far as the game is fair and has the same rules for everyone (and today it isn't so)

[BankofSpirit]

they need petroleum to make plastic, then manipulate/force man to take axe to orchards, demolish nature, debasing life/living & put at risk our essentials for life, for what? to replace nature w/ factories? "fiat plants", make plastic fruit, replicate nature at natures expense? CORPSe own a peon/puppet show, its anti-life/PRO-CORPSe, for death. fools wear costumes, called uniforms, whats uniform is action, abet fascism. all in costumes cost-u-&-me life/living. must outlaw CORPSe & idiocy.

[HG2013]

Fuck lawsuits these motherfuckers need to be hung!

[obarelida]

what is really going on!!! how can conglomorate destroy these people way of life and get away with it!!!

[EspartanoRasta]

Is the 3rd time i see it and still says 301 views. The All Seen Eye is watching!!!

[soulresistor]

@100inkersell problem with that is that the Corporations have fixed it to were society is Dependant on them thats what they have done over the years.

[sandstorm18286]

corporation or government....americans do anything for their profit...never let those bastards in...

[jaheira2016]

so, stop buying there products.

Money is greed, greed doesnt give a damn about the people lives.

only its self worth.

This is the reasons why we have to get off oil and use energy from other recorses like wind, solar and water.

The oil company is like kids who doesnt clean up there messes, kids who doesnt clean there mess, they get into trouble!

Stop buying there oil and then they would go broke, this is for everyone

[soulwam]

@100inkersell Do you not think that society is being designed to create captive consumers ? In Britain children have been trained from a young age, to use Microsoft software. Anything else is alien to them.

[lordvalgarX]

@elgringorumbero

Well, I do work for a living as a self employed tradesman.

So I have nothing against making money as a business, this is capitalism.

Corporatism is when the "Lobbyists" have effectively taken over government, or have become the Government itself. This kills capitalism by creating unfair rules, thus building corporate monopolies.

Nothing wrong with having a right to make money.

[MrApadirect]

Cut to the chase where Chevron buys the politicians and judges and are fined 1 millionth percent of their profits. The natives will be labeled as greedy opportunists

[Reqrezentin]

Lets hope they sue billions.

[herzogsbuick]

You mean the government that granted concessions to occupied land isn't holding the concessionaire responsible?

I always wondered who watched the watchers...

[GnosticNinja]

Nothing much to see here.

The same 'Scorched Earth' policy has been in effect since the Shamans, Druids, Sages & Wizards of old were hunted down, their villages, tribal nomadic indigenous peoples slaughtered en-masse.

Their knowledge stolen, sequestered or destroyed.

Vatican still at it today. Business as usual.

This has been going on since ancient times like a 'broken record'.

ALL the alphabet soup agencies of the world are assets of the SAME corpse-oration.

[restlys]

lets stop subsidizing oil, and lets take into account the environmental damages it does.

Then lets compare it to clean energy..lets see which one turns out to be cheaper.

[xchainlinkx]

@100inkersell true...however, if you buy from a different corporation, there's a great chance they would be associated with the one poisoning the environment. If people want to stop supporting a corporation, they essentially have to stop supporting the entire system, go off grid, grow their own food and produce their own energy.

[uwmbigb]

18 Years in court!?!? What a bunch of greedy bastards, rather than fess up theyre stalling the people to death, wow.

[dasdeck]

can you please stop digging for tears? this did not feel like news at all.

[mrx0066600]

future liabilities????

So now it's ok to fuck with them as much as Chevron wants? Chevron can fuck off with that bullshit.

[coirpeach1]

Capitalism is worse than any destruction that nature conjures up.When nature destroys land its called a disaster but when big business do it for power and greed its called progress.Progress for these capitalist elites so they can gorge themselves on fine food,wine and dine each other and watch the rest of humanity suffer and starve..My heart goes out to these natives

[sugarlessrobots]

you go fajardo!!!! i know you can do it!

[superbeauthy]

The jungle pilot.. a true book.. important.. Ecuador.. 1942...they did more than this...

[NicosNicosNicosNicos]

A quick search under "Rafael Correa" (current Ecuadorian president) and "Chevron Texaco" brought up this title "In Ecuador, Correa proposes Unasur united front against Chevron" whereby this year Correa sought solidarity from the South American region in the struggle against this kind of multinational.

[slobomotion]

Uprated, favorited and shared. Thank you so much. This is what I want to see. The truth. No one else is barely doing it. I am a journalist and have been so since 1975 and I never swallow things whole, but I appreciate being alerted, so I can do my OWN research! I am cutecatfaith d com and invite you to visit my site. Thank you again.

[brad1069]

Many thanks to the real news for bringing issues like this to the public's view. It breaks your heart to know such things but it also makes your will to see it stop much stronger.

[proteanview]

Bechtel in Bolivia... Chevron in Ecuador... Corporations trolling poor countries, privatizing resources & polluting the rest, all under the banner of 'providing jobs,' 'development' and 'globalization'.

[davidperi]

These oil companies have to paid for the damages in the U.S. ...though quite reclutantily...but get them when they do this damage else where.

[wannaruwae]

american judges are bought by oil majors. it's time to destroy coporate fascism.

[aerobique]

@Alexopolux

"Goddamn miserable world, in which we live."

Dont blame 'the world' for that.

[lordvalgarX]

Corporatism is running rampant everywhere, including your home, no matter where you live.

[kip151]

The earth is bleeding and its Amazonian people suffer from the immoral monsters starved by greed.

[sugarface88]

really a heatrencher, normally i cannot feel because this sort of thing happens all the time.

[solimiansky]

capitalism is to exploit man, natural resources, maintain wars, and theft. What do you expect from this system?, its bound to happen in Ecuador and hundreds of other places around the world. Without war and explotation the system cannot hold. This will continue again again again and again.

[swankrecords]

excellent episode