I had been making a point to patronise Shell, as they were (according to one of those “Buy Blue” sites) the only U.S. oil company that gave more money to Democrats than Republicans. But I had no idea Citgo was actually owned by Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela! So when you buy it, you’re avoiding Middle East gas, and supporting left wing antipoverty programs in Venezuela (not to mention giving the finger to the Bush admin, who tried to engineer a coup against Chavez, one which fortunately failed due to Venezuelan “people power”).
From the article that “converted” me:
By buying your gasoline at Citgo, you are contributing to the billions of dollars that Venezuela’s democratic government is using to provide health care, literacy and education, and subsidized food for the majority of Venezuelans.
Instead of using government to help the rich and the corporate, as Bush does, Chavez is using the resources and oil revenue of his government to help the poor in Venezuela.
