Luis Yanza (born 1962 in Gualaceo) is an environmental activist from Ecuador, of Cofán descent.
[2] Yanza was involved in an organization called the Amazon Defense Front (ADF) where he was an executive secretary.
Yanza was at the forefront of this environmental push, and at the end of 1993, peasants and indigenous Kichwas, Secoyas, and Cofánes filed a class-action lawsuit against Chevron first in Ecuador Court with Steven Donziger’s support.
We’re talking about harm to people and the environment that was done in a deliberate manner.”[2] Eventually, the Ecuador Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and Chevron was ordered to pay $9.5 billion to the Amazon Defense Coalition as repercussions for their environmental damage.
Donzinger, who was under house arrest during the pre-trial for a misdemeanor criminal contempt charge, was the one accused of racketeering the Ecuador case by Chevron.