Better Future with Michael Mezz 007 – Steven Donziger on Chevron, Corporate Retaliation, and Climate Justice
Jan 7, 2026
In this engaging discussion, Steven Donziger, a pioneering human rights and environmental lawyer, shares his battle against Chevron on behalf of Indigenous communities in Ecuador. He reveals the extensive pollution caused by Chevron and how it has impacted local ecosystems. Steven exposes the tactics of corporate retaliation aimed at silencing activists, including his own disbarment. He emphasizes the importance of grassroots mobilization and the need for reform within political structures to combat corporate power and ensure climate justice.
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Long Fight That Won A Massive Judgment
- Steven Donziger spent 18 years working on the Ecuador case which resulted in a record environmental judgment against Chevron.
- The communities won a $20 billion trial judgment that later settled to $10 billion and remains unpaid.
Law Needs A Political Backdrop
- Donziger describes changing Ecuadorian public opinion as essential to winning in court because judges respond to national narratives.
- Legal victories require coordinated political and cultural campaigns, not just courtroom lawyering.
Chevron’s Retaliatory $60B Lawsuit
- Chevron sued Donziger for $60 billion to shift attention from the pollution judgment and discredit the plaintiffs.
- They alleged fraud and bribery using a paid witness who later admitted lying, yet pursued a long campaign against him.
