Dan Kovalik

Daniel Kovalik (born 1968) is an American human rights, labor rights lawyer and peace activist. He has contributed articles to CounterPunch and The Huffington Post. He has taught International Human Rights at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Education

Kovalik graduated from the Columbia Law School in 1993.

Career work

Kovalik has been involved in international human rights and social justice, mainly in Latin America. Kovalik's first book, The Plot to Scapegoat Russia, was published in 2017 by Skyhorse Publishing. He was co-author of the book No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using 'Humanitarian' Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interests, which was published by Skyhorse Publishing in 2020.

Colombia

He worked on the Alien Tort Claims Act cases against The Coca-Cola Company, Drummond Company and Occidental Petroleum over alleged human rights abuses in Colombia. Kovalik accused the United States of intervention in Colombia, saying it has threatened peaceful actors there so it may "make Colombian land secure for massive appropriation and exploitation". He also accused the Colombian and United States governments of overseeing mass killings in Colombia between 2002 and 2009.

Venezuela

Kovalik is a supporter of the Venezuelan government. He has defended the Venezuelan government following both the 2014 Venezuelan protests and the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014 law enacted by the United States allowing the sanctioning of individuals who allegedly violated the human rights of Venezuelans. In a radio interview with Matt Dwyer about Venezuela's 2013 elections, Kovalik called the Bolivarian Revolution "the most benevolent revolution in history". On 26 February 2014, he attended the "Chávez Was Here" gathering created by the Embassy of Venezuela, Washington, D.C. to commemorate the presidency of Hugo Chávez and to show support for the Bolivarian Revolution. At the gathering, Kovalik spoke beside the Venezuelan ambassador Julio Escalona and economist Mark Weisbrot.

United States

Kovalik is the Associate General Counsel of the United Steelworkers union.

Recognition

• 3rd Most Significant Censored Story Award by Project Censored (2001)
• David W. Mills Mentoring Fellowship by Stanford University School of Law (2002)

References

External links

• Official Website
• The Coca-Cola Case Film