Why is the Chevron Case so Important to Ecuadorian National Dignity?

• The Chevron (formerly Texaco) case strengthens the sovereignty of the Ecuadorian state in that the plaintiffs seek to impose national law above powerful foreign interests that ignore it. Supporting the obligatory application of national legislation implies the strengthening of national sovereignty.

• Supporting the Chevron case is to defend Ecuador’s right as a state, and demonstrates that the effective exercise of constitutional rights (such as the right to an uncontaminated environment) cannot be blocked by contract, law, or any act of government, as any government act is subject to legal principles.

• The Chevron case is tied to the struggle to strengthen the rule of law and jurisprudence, along with the basic principles of a true democracy. This case rests on the principle that the law applies equally to all without privilege for powerful economic entities.

• The trial strengthens the nation’s position in matters of human rights and all those who form part of this struggle are considered defenders of human rights.

• Supporting the Chevron case reflects a concern for the environmental problems that threaten us. Environmental protection mechanisms will be strengthened by this case and represent a strong precedent in the sanction of environmental violations to the benefit of the entire nation.

• Supporting the Chevron case exhibits a modern consciousness that values and understands the importance of the environment. Environmental damage repair implies the protection and worth of the natural legacy of all Ecuadorians and leads to the infusion of financial resources into the Ecuadorian economic system.

• Supporting the Chevron case is to support the thousands of brave Ecuadorians who, for the first time, have taken action in an indictment of such proportions. This demonstrates that we are willing to defend our rights regardless of whom we must oppose.

• Supporting the Chevron case provides an important precedent on an international level: that a transnational corporation can be brought to book before the courts of a country other than its own. The Chevron case in Ecuador represents the first time that a Latin American nation has forced a transnational corporation to abide by its laws.

Supporting the Chevron Case Means Defending National Sovereignty