US oil giant fined for Amazon pollution

The oil firm which merged with Chevron in 2001, Texaco, was also accused of dumping billions of gallons of toxic materials into unlined pits and Amazon rivers. Environment activists had claimed the crops were damaged, farm animals killed and there had been an increase in local cancer rates increased.

The campaigners’ lawyer said the court ruling was “a triumph of justice over Chevron’s crime and economic power.” However, he also told reporters that: “This is an important step but we're going to appeal this sentence because we think that the damages awarded are not enough considering the environmental damage caused by Chevron here in Ecuador.”

But Chevron, condemning the ruling as “fraudulent”, said it would appeal the ruling which they described as “illegitimate and unenforceable”.