18 billion gallons

Leftists got elected in Ecuador and like a bunch of other leftist countries has "called for an opening to a "new socialism of the twenty-first century" and declared that Ecuador has to end "the perverse system that has destroyed our democracy, our economy and our society.""

It's a fascinating and hope filled tale of how the country has navigated through demonstrations, legal barriers and political bodies to come to a point where they are challenging a corrupt system controlled by "bankers, political- financial pressure groups and corrupt government officials."

The results seem to be paying off. As recorded in Al Jazeera, a small tribe in the Amazon is suing the bastards known as Texaco for $6 Billion. The reason?

"Texaco, now part of Chevron, admits to dumping 18 billion gallons of run-off while drilling for oil in the rainforest, but the company says it did so legally and according to industry standards. Environmentalists call it the worst oil-related disaster in the world – Texaco allegedly dumped 30 times the amount of crude spilled by the Exxon Valdez."

I hope the assholes lose every penney, though they'd probably simply pull out of the region rather than pony up the dough.

And on the subject of Central America, a young journalist named Meghann Farnsworth went down to interview some people about violence against women in Guatemala city. She talked to a 16 year old girl who had been gang raped. The story is harsh and only for those that would like a kick in the ass.