Justice in Ecuador

This communication is in response to the opinion article “Up the Amazon without a legal paddle,” written by Mr. Peter Foster (Aug. 16) and is meant to address the groundless statements and profoundly incorrect assertions made against the government of Ecuador.

First of all, it is incomprehensible why the author chooses to criticize the involvement of progressive Canadian union and other international groups with counterparts from other latitudes, in a free exercise of their right to meet and discuss issues of common and ethical interest, such as the protection and defence of the environment and human rights.

The author’s accusation related to the Ecuadorian government’s support for a “fraudulent lawsuit” is patently untrue. The author ignores Chevron’s own many successes in Ecuador’s highly competent and independent judiciary system. When Chevron wins a case in Ecuadorian courts, does the author perhaps consider that it was because the Ecuadorian judge had a brief moment of honesty in his otherwise corrupt ways, or perhaps that the government of Ecuador was on holiday and did not have the opportunity to influence that court? Truly ridiculous. Furthermore, the Ecuadorian government’s commitment to the rule of law and the recent judiciary reforms guarantee that legal proceedings take place without interference.

Indeed, Ecuador’s democratically elected president is considered to be a strong leader at national and regional level. As a result of the tangible achievements realized during this administration, Ecuador is today one of the regional leaders in social, educational, economic, and infrastructure development. This is corroborated by the high level of acceptance of President Rafael Correa, who currently enjoys an approval rating in the upper tiers of leaders with an above- average level of acceptance on the continent.

With the intention of protecting the rights and wellbeing of all citizens, Ecuador has instituted a number of important legal and environmental reforms, which include being the first country in the world to include the Rights of Nature in our Constitution. This will ensure that all actors — including government entities, private corporations, and individuals — respect these rights, for the benefit of all humanity.