Ecuadorian plaintiffs in an environmental lawsuit against Chevron Corp. (CVX) said Friday they will soon be able to begin a process in foreign countries to pursue a multibillion-dollar ruling issued by Ecuadorian courts against the U.S. company.

Plaintiffs' lawyers have said their strategy to collect the money will include confiscating company assets and freezing international accounts.

On Thursday the provincial Court of Sucumbios, in Lago Agrio, ratified an order to execute the ruling against Chevron. It also denied a request Feb. 17 from an arbitration panel of an international court in The Hague ordering Ecuador not to enforce or recognize the judgment issued last year and ratified this year against Chevron.

The Sucumbios Court said that accepting the panel's request would violate Ecuador's obligations with respect to human rights.