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The Texaco Oil Crisis

Satisfactory Essays

After it creation in 1964 the Texaco oil rig has been wreaking havoc on the local community. Before the oil crisis in 1973 the need for oil has still high and Texaco had found a place that could satisfy some of that need (Zaitchik, 2014). Texaco as well as the prominent Gulf Oil began to work in the Oriente region of Ecuador. However, it was not until 1972 that Texaco began to work in the Lago Agrio Oil Field one year before the Oil Crisis. This drilling for oil continued until 1993 when Texaco left after being accused of dumping toxic waste into the local water systems for 21 years (Amazon Watch, 2013). After the Industrial Revolution first and second world countries have been heavily reliant on oil. This has led to a total (as of 2014) of …show more content…

This toxic waste was creating terminal cancer, birth defects in mothers who come in contact with the waste and other disease and growth that kill people that had not been seen previously. It also ruined the environment and killed off many endangered species in the area (Romero, Simon, 2011). Needless to say the evidence was overwhelming and they lost the case and the 30,000 effected villagers as well as the Ecuadorian government won. Chevron appealed the court with more evidence and they lost that as well (Chevron Toxico, 2013). Chevron filed RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) against those who won the first case. They then “went after” the scientists who were doing reports in the local areas. They told their funders that they were “in on a little conspiracy” in the Amazon regions. The bargain was either loose funding or change the results; and “the scientists” chose the latter. Chevron then “went after” the journalists who were documenting the spill and toxic waste. With the RICO charges filed, all journalists were required to turn over all unused interview footage which did not only make it extremely hard to interview those who were willing, but they also had to be very careful with questions that were posed. Again using the RICO charges they forced all activists to turn over years of emails, messages, letters, and records of any kind. (Chevron Toxico,

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