The Untold History of Sucumbíos, Ecuador: Where Oil, Indigenous Rights, and Climate Collide
Home / Sucumbios history
Nestled in the northeastern corner of Ecuador, Sucumbíos is a province that embodies the paradoxes of modern development. Its lush Amazonian rainforests hide one of the most contentious resources of our time: oil. But beneath the surface of this "black gold" lies a turbulent history of colonization, exploitation, and relentless indigenous resistance.
Long before oil rigs dotted the landscape, Sucumbíos was home to the Cofán, Siona, Secoya, and Kichwa peoples. These communities lived in harmony with the rainforest, relying on its rivers and biodiversity for survival. The arrival of Spanish colonizers in the 16th century disrupted this balance, but it was the 20th-century oil boom that would forever alter the region’s fate.
In the 1960s, Texaco (now Chevron) struck oil in Sucumbíos, turning Ecuador into an oil-dependent economy almost overnight. The province became the epicenter of Ecuador’s petroleum industry, but at a devastating cost.
Few environmental disasters have been as catastrophic—or as ignored—as the contamination left by Texaco in Sucumbíos. Between 1964 and 1992, the company dumped billions of gallons of toxic wastewater into rivers and forests, leaving behind over 1,000 unlined waste pits. The result? A public health crisis that persists today.
In 1993, a group of Sucumbíos residents filed a class-action lawsuit against Chevron in U.S. courts. After decades of legal battles, an Ecuadorian court ordered Chevron to pay $9.5 billion in damages—a historic ruling. Yet, Chevron refused, claiming fraud, and the victims never saw a cent.
The case became a symbol of corporate impunity, but it also ignited a global movement. Today, Sucumbíos is a rallying cry for climate justice, cited in debates from the Hague to the halls of the U.N.
Sucumbíos sits atop the ITT Block (Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini), one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth—and one of the last untouched oil reserves. In 2007, then-President Rafael Correa proposed a revolutionary idea: leave the oil underground in exchange for international compensation.
The Yasuní-ITT Initiative was a bold climate proposal, but it failed when wealthy nations refused to pay. By 2016, drilling began, and Sucumbíos became a battleground once more.
The Kichwa and Waorani tribes have led the charge against new oil projects, using everything from road blockades to international lawsuits. In 2019, a Waorani victory temporarily halted oil auctions in their territory—a rare win against Big Oil.
But the pressure is relentless. As global demand for energy surges, Sucumbíos remains caught between economic survival and ecological ruin.
Some communities are betting on alternatives. The Cofán Ecotourism Project invites travelers to experience the rainforest sustainably, offering a glimpse of life beyond oil. Meanwhile, solar and micro-hydro projects are slowly gaining traction.
But without systemic change, these efforts may not be enough. As the world debates "net-zero" pledges, Sucumbíos stands as a stark reminder: the true cost of fossil fuels isn’t just measured in barrels—it’s measured in lives.
From Standing Rock to the Niger Delta, the struggles of Sucumbíos mirror those of indigenous communities worldwide. The question is no longer whether we can stop drilling—but whether we will before it’s too late.
For now, the rainforest still stands. And so do its people.