I avoid Citco.

More politics boring

Or, how about people avoid Citgo cause their gas sucks????

I think their gas does suck. Never tried, but I heard Venezuela's oil has high sulfur content. Not a good thing.

Maybe if you say this 1000 times, it will actually be true.

Chavez is not anti-American. He was not even anti-Bush, until the Bush Administration supported a group of rouge Venezuelan military officers who tried to overthrow his democratically elected government in 2002. Then, if that was not enough, the Bush Administration offered the offenders political assylum here in the United States and refused to extradite them to Venezuela for prosecution.

I'm pretty sure if a foreign government supported an attempt to overthrow our government, and then gave safe haven to the offenders, our government (and our people) would hate the leaders of that country. But that would be no reason to hate all the people of that country.

Anyway, I usually fill up at Citgo. There is one right around the corner from where I live. I'd definately prefer my money goes to help the poor people of Venezuela than into the pockets of the Saudi Royal Family and some corrupt execs at Exxon/Mobil or Chevron.

Once again, I am not against the people of Venezuela. No one here has said or even implied anything about being against (never mind "hating") the people of Venezuela. That is quite a leap you are making-one that is not justified. I think their leader does not exhibit the professional leadership qualities his people deserve. The guy is a wacko.:loco:

First, I never accused you of being against the people of Venezuela. Where did you get that idea from? You accused Chavez of being against the American people, which I said is not true. He dislikes our leader, not our country or our people.

Second, Chavez is indeed paranoid because he came extremely close to being overthrown and assasinated back in 2002 by a group of rogue officers from his own military who were being supported by the Bush Administration. You can argue whether or not that is true (Bush denies this accusation), but what is obvious is that Chavez believes it is true, and I doubt he believes this without good reason. In addition, some of those rogue officers have not been brought to justice because they are being given a safe haven here in the United States. That issue you cannot argue.

Since our government claims to support democracy, one would think they would be in favor of the prosecution of people who participated in the attempted overthrow of a democratically elected leader. But apparently they support such people if they disagree with the economic policies of the democratically elected leader who they tried to overthrow.

I know this was not a big deal in our news, but let me refresh your memory as to what happened in Venezuela back in April 2002:

The military entered the Presidential Palace, arrested Chavez, blindfolded him, put him on a plane, and flew him to an island off the coast of Venezuela where he was held in a prison for 48 hours.

The following morning, all of the U.S. and Venezuelan newspapers reported that "Chavez resigned". There were even some "unofficial" reports that he had committed suicide.

Following these reports, hundreds of thousands of angry Venezuelan people lead large protests all over the country. Violence also broke out, and some government offices were stormed. The protesters demanded that Chavez be returned to power.

In the end, the group of officers leading the coup failed to take control, and the Presidential Palace was recaptured by Chavez's Presidential Guard. The coup lasted 48 hours and ended with some of the coup leaders being captured while others fled the country. Chavez was flown back to Venezuela and returned to power.

He claims when he was being held in exile, there were American intelligence officials present. Prior to this incident, there was never any bad blood between Chavez and the United States.

But this ordeal has the CIA's footprints written all over it. This is almost like their standard procedure for getting rid of socialist governments. Support a military coup, assasinate the leftist leader, and claim it was a suicide. It happened to Salvador Allende in Chile and Patrice Lumumba in the Congo, just to name a couple. If the Venezuelan people had not protested, I'm pretty sure history would say the same for Hugo Chavez.

Is it your role in life to take the other side?

"But that would be no reason to hate all the people of that country."-Eric

Why do you blindly believe Chavez has a good reason without supporting your argument? That is no different that supporting Bush's side with no substantiating evidence? I agree that your purpose is simply to take the other side.

-7-11 wants to dodge any sales fallout from the Citgo/Chavez
connection, real or perceived.
-They, (7-11), have probably cut a better ppg deal with
regional bulk gasoline suppliers.

Both points above are simply a biz decision; the implied
PC/cause & effect are left to the media and biz wags to debate.

Chavez, without his country's oil, would be another 3rd world
"leader", hoping more tourists showed up and/or more cocaine
was ferried through his country. No dis to the large population
of Venezuelans, posting here.

My 2Cts from the Peanut Gallery.
BR,mD

We (the USA) would be better off if we another energy source.

Most of these third world oil producers/trouble makers would be out of money and would not have standing and funds to cause trouble.

Remember that a number of the 9/11 terrorist came from Saudi Abra.

When you consider all the money we spend on the war and fighting terrorist; we would get better value spending a third more on energy research.