In a huge victory for global human rights, an Ecuador court in Quito just threw out the sham criminal charges against Indigenous Chief Leonidas Iza after he led an 18-day national strike in June that lowered gas prices and banned new oil drilling. To retaliate, Ecuador's pro-oil government had charged Mr. Iza with "paralysis of public services" which carries a potential 3-year prison sentence. The result today is a major setback for the Chevron retaliation playbook which the prosecutor's office was using. That office originally tried to paint Mr. Iza as a terrorist. When Mr. Iza and I talked just three days ago in my apartment in Manhattan, where he was visiting during climate week, he told me the prosecutor had prepared 40 police witnesses to testify against him. Mr. Iza also had several witnesses ready including law experts to explain why his extraordinary leadership did not violate any laws. If the case against him had gone forward, I believe it would have generated extensive interest around the world and likely strengthened Mr. Iza's hand and catapulted him to even greater levels of respect in and out of Ecuador. Citizen pressure and media attention obviously plays a major role in protecting those targeted in these retaliation cases. This is a great precedent for all of us. 👊🙏🔥