Its common knowledge that Citgo gas stations are owned by President Hugo Chavez. Now he wants to change the name to Petro Express because he has been losing money. Should we allow him to have stations in this country that he hates so much?

This is false. Sorry! See snopes.com:
http://www.snopes.com/politic...

Sometimes urban legends hurt Americans. Petro Express is an American company. The owner is The Pantry, Inc. headquartered in Sanford, North Carolina.

It is not common knowledge that CITGO is owned by Hugo Chavez because it is not true. This is ridiculous propoganda.

CITGO is owned by the Venezuelan people. Buying gas from CITGO provides housing and medical care and schooling to all people of Venezuela, rich and poor.

I make an effort to buy at CITGO because that cash goes to helping human beings rather than lining the pockets of some corporate types that really dont need my support.

If we nationalized our oil resources instead of selling them off then buying them back for more then we would all be paying less taxes, or less for oil, or spending more on social programs as the Venezuelans chose to do.

He needs to go down Being Cuban I see his dangerous agenda

I'm a capitolist I will buy where it is cheaper, if our business's can bring in illegal immigrants to do our labor then I feel I should buy where it is cheaper. Hugo doesn't own Citgo the nation of Venazuala....He is currently the president moving towards a dictator, but we have been dealing with these people for years whats new?

HELLO
He owns it!!
He can call it labiacentral if that's what he so chooses. You don't like it, don't shop there.

Ever since I learned that Hugo Chavez owns Citgo I have made it a point not to go to one. His own people do not like his brand of politics etc.

lol, capitalism

I've been boycotting the Citgo stations for sometime. I also sent an e-mail here at work about who the owner of the Citgo Station was. It has gone out of business here in Lexington!! Yeah, pocketbooks do speak volumes.

Hugo Chavez doesn't hate Americans. If he did, why did Venezuela offer relief for Hurricane Katrina victims and low-cost heating oil to Americans during last year's cold snap in the Northeast?

C'mon, people. Do you think the Saudis are truly our friends, and that Hugo Chavez is the enemy here? Aren't the Saudis financing the Sunni insurgency in Iraq? I'm pretty sure it's not some Venezulan dictator.

The question was about Chavez. He offered relief as a way to win American sympathy for him and his fascist cause. You think he gives a rats ass that Americans need oil? Only the disenfranchised sect who feel their governement is suppose to be their parent and benefactor. You are proof that some minds are easily bought and influenced.

The government works for us. We elect them, our tax dollars pay the salaries. They should be doing what we tell them, not the Big Oil lobbyists. Why is this so difficult for people to understand?

Gas prices are absurd right now, almost double what they were before we decided to go to war in Iraq and drive up the cost of oil. That's all this is about, Maggie. Every time you pump gas, you get a reminder as to why our troops are being slaughtered in Iraq, millions or Iraqis are being displaced or killed, and a brutal civil war is being waged by the Sunni and the Shia.

Don't give me this "easily bought and influenced" nonsense. I wanted to believe for a long time that we were doing the right thing over there. But the writing's on the wall.

This war had NOTHING to do with why we are in Iraq. How about the 15 admonitions from the UN for not letting inspecters in? Our government should be minimal, not bigger. It is it's responsiblity to ensure that you are able to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. Not to provide your dinner and the plate you eat it off of. As to the price of gas, your reasoning argues against itself. If we went for oil, why are prices higher? Do you know they pay an average of $8.00 a gallon for gas in England, and that is not new to the time we've been at war with Iraq. 9/11 was a slaughter my friend, over 3,000 people including innocent children in a matter of hours.

The government should be minimal? So the fact that Bush has made it 1/3rd larger since he hijacked the presidency must really irk you, huh?

As for gas prices, we didn't go into Iraq to LOWER them. Iraq sits on the 2nd largest oil reserve in the planet; I know I've already explained this to some other misguided soul somewhere. The bloodly war we're fighting in Iraq compels OPEC to drive UP the cost of oil, and thus enrich the war profiteering oil barons across the globe. It's ingenious in the most sinister way imaginable.

The only thing that ever compels OPEC is OPEC. If you're looking for greedy and evil hearts, there ya go. As to Bush ticking me off, yeah a lot of what he's doing ticks me off. But I also know who perpetrated evil on 9/11, and it WASN"T George Bush. I know how much oil Iraq is sitting on. Do you know how much of our (the US) oil comes from Iraq?

Only because I work at a Citgo gas station. If we stop selling gas at those stations I guess I could find another job lol.

The question reeks with racism which I will ignore. My answer is yes if it costs less than what the US robber barons are charging - fair trade. If we refused to do business with every country that hates us we would do little or no business.

He can spend his money here and hire all the Americans to work for him
as he wants, but I will walk with my gas can for hours before I give
him a dime of my money if I can help it.

I couldn't pick any of the answers because of the tail associated with them all. Its not that I am undecided but Chavez does not hate Americans. Chavez does hate the Bush administration.

Why does he hate the Bush administration? It has to do with OIL and the US treating him like a banana republic. The most 'in your face' action was the allegedly CIA supported coup attempt in April of 2002. He was elected by the people and his base was a grass roots populous movement. Democracy at its best. Since coming to power he has some serious short comings but hey our president ain't no gem either and their style of autocracy isn't that far apart.

Back to the oil. 60% of Venezuela's oil is exported to the US. They are the 5th largest oil producer in the world. Chavez is looking for a little branding and we need the oil. Oh well, as far as importing is concerned its #1 Canada #2 Mexico and Hugo and the boys take of a close third.

I believe that Chavez stood on the floor of the U.N. and called George
Bush, "El Diablo" the devil. If he hates the leader of Americans, then
how can he really love the American people? Since coming to power, he
has taken full control of electric, gas, and television, and has plans
to take control of many other industries. He has also used the proceeds
of the oil revenues to buy weapons from Russia, and has said that if we
attack or threaten Iran that he will attack us.

A thoughtful comment - informative and objective. Thank you Tom. See "Empire's Workshop - Latin America, the United States, and the Rise of Imperialsim" by Greg Grandin if you have not read it already.

Have not read it and it looks like a fascinating read. Will do. Thanks for the tip.

Not only because he hates America, but if you buy gas from Citgo you are supporting a mad man with your hard earned dollars. It's nice to hear that I am not the only one who has chosen not to buy Citgo, and that is having an effect on el diablo's bottom line...tyrant!! (Noticed his own people are starting to get their fill and hit the streets to protest recently!)

Hate has nothing to do with it. Money has everything to do with it.