Since 1993 attorney Steven Donziger has battled the oil giant Chevron on behalf of indigenous communities in the Amazon Basin. Their land has been polluted by toxic waste from oil drilling. 16 billion gallons of poisonous waste water that contained copper, mercury, lead and other carcinogens were dumped into rivers, lakes and impoundment ponds.
Steven Donziger, in 2013, helped lead the legal effort that won the largest court judgment in history for human rights and environmental justice, a $9.5 billion verdict against Chevron.
Chevron, following the verdict, sold their assets in Ecuador and left the country. The corporation threatened the plaintiffs with “A lifetime of litigation” if they attempted to collect. According to internal memos Chevron launched a highly funded and sustained campaign to destroy Donziger’s career.
To this day Chevron has not paid any of the $9.5 billion verdict to the indigenous communities whose land they polluted. And they proceed with their campaign against Steven Donziger. He was sentenced in federal court in New York on October 1, 2021, on contempt of court charges, which could send him to jail for six months.
Thanks to Chris Hedges for this interview with Steven Donziger. They spoke on October 9, 2021. Chis Hedges is an investigative journalist, New York Times former staff and best selling author; and television host of On Contact.
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