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Article

2 Aug 2010

Author:
Mary Cuddehe, The Atlantic

A Spy in the Jungle [Ecuador]

Last February I got an offer from Kroll, one of the world's largest private investigation firms, to go undercover as a journalist-spy in the Ecuadorian Amazon. At first I thought I was underqualified for the job. But...I was exactly what they were looking for: a pawn...I would have to go to Ecuador to work with a group that does espionage for Fortune 500 companies..."I'm sure you could use the money," he said, bluntly...In Lago Agrio, Ecuador...one of the biggest environmental lawsuits in history is being fought out in a jungle court. A group of citizens represented by American trial attorneys and an NGO called the Amazon Defense Coalition are suing Texaco [part of Chevron]...My assigment, should I choose to accept it, involved a health study that took place around 2007, when a Spanish human-rights activist named Carlos Beristain went to Lago Agrio...Was it possible that the plaintiffs had colluded with Beristain to handpick the interviewees? Kroll wanted me to find out. [also refers to Petroecuador]

Part of the following timelines

Ecuador: Journalists says Chevron hired private investigation firm Kroll to spy on court appointed health expert in Amazon oil spill case

Texaco/Chevron lawsuits (re Ecuador)