CITGO Gas, Chavez and name changes

[American Patriot]

Note that *I* have not checked this with Snopes. I am reading the information on the site, but, there is nothing specific about this. Also, they (snopes) state that by "buycotting or boycotting" certain places you can't be sure your money isn't still going to this clown. (ok, I used the words clown, they didn't.)

Read and check this one out yourselves. I'm merely posting it since it's yet another one that has gone through my mail box today.


Verified with www.SNOPES

IN ORLANDO LAST WEEK, AT A CITGO STATION REGULAR WAS PRICED AT $2.82
PER GALLON. THERE WERE NO CUSTOMERS.

HOWEVER ACROSS THE STREET WHERE I FUELED IT WAS SELLING FOR $2.85 PER GALLON AND ALL PUMPS THERE HAD CARS WAITING TO FUEL.

Have you noticed how the Citgo signs have disappeared in the past 7-8 months?

Very clever move by Chavez. But guess what CITGO IS CHANGING ITS
NAME TO? ...this is serious Americans...make sure you read.

NEWS FLASH:
Chavez is NOW getting a Russian Weapons Factory built by Putin. The
RUSSIANS are building an AK-47 Kalashnikov Assault Rifle factory in Venezuela to
give armament support to Communist Rebel groups throughout the Americas.

Chavez NOW has IRANIANS operating his oil refineries in Venezuela for him.
It is likely only a matter of time, if not already, before Chavez has
Iranian built LONG RANGE missiles, with a variety of warhead types aimed at....

Guess Who?

CITGO is NOW in the process of Changing its name to PETRO EXPRESS due to
the loss of gasoline sales in the US A due to the recent publicity of ownership
by Chavez of Venezuela.

Every dollar you spend with CITGO or PETRO EXPRESS gasoline will be used
against you, your basic human rights, and your freedoms. He will start wars
here in the Americas that will probably be the death of millions.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT because Chavez is starting to feel the loss of
revenue from his holdings. HE OWNS CITGO. This is a very important move
that everyone should be aware of.

ANNOUNCED JUST RECENTLY, CITGO, BEING AWARE THAT SALES ARE DOWN DUE TO U.S. CUSTOMERS NOT WANTING TO BUY FROM "CITGO-CHAVEZ," HAS STARTED TO CHANGE THE NAME OF SOME OF THEIR STORES TO:

"PETRO EXPRESS."
DO NOT BUY FROM "PETRO EXPRESS" EITHER!!!

"PETRO EXPRESS" IS ALSO 100% OWNED BY "CHAVEZ."

KEEP THIS MEMO GOING SO THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT IS HAPPENING. BOYCOTT "CITGO" AND "PETRO EXPRESS."

MAKE SURE THIS IS PASSED ON TO EVERYONE IN YOUR E-MAIL LIST IN THE UNITED STATES AND OUTSIDE OF AMERICA.

[Phil Fiord]

It's a bogus email. If you search google with "Citgo name change" many news results decry the bogus letter.

According to http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/citgo.asp, this is a very interesting misinforming scam (my words) as it takes a few versions depending upon political ideology.

As I said, google will provide many news links, but I found this blog news one to be a good summary, less the snopes Cindy Sheehan reference.

http://sadbastards.wordpress.com/200...valero-energy/

Circle K drops Venezuelan-owned Citgo gas and goes with Valero

Aug 21, 2006 in Biodiesel, Chavez, Citgo, Citizen Journalism, Google, Hugo Chavez, Media - Print, Media Blogs, News Bias, News and politics, Newspapers, Online Media, Political Elites, bush, mainstream news media, media rants, new media, newspaper business


By Mick Gregory — Why isn’t your mainstream media reporting this?
Companies are conducting research and finding that Americans don’t want to buy their gas from a Communist dictator in Venezuela – Hugo Chavez – El Presidente of the 100 percent state-owned Citgo gasoline brand. I think people would like to know that San Antonio-based Valero will replace Citgo as the gasoline brand at all the Circle K stations in the Rio Grande Valley, more than 300 locations. Valero, the largest U.S. refiner, announced last week with a press release that it had signed an 11-year agreement with Susser Petroleum Company to supply gas to all of its retail stores in Texas and Oklahoma operated by Susser’s retail unit. Susser sells fuel primarily under the Citgo brand, but with the new agreement most of its stations will take on the Valero brand. This shows brilliant proactive management from both the Susser and Valero’s teams.
Valero is putting its name on the fuel stations, the popular Circle K store names will not change, only the Citgo signs will come down. The brand change is expected to begin immediately and you will see the Citgo signs coming down as early as September. The new signage could take up to a year to complete because of the large number of stations involved, but Valero reports to the industry that the changes will be made fast. Valero reports the deal is the largest single agreement with a single distributor in Valero history by fuel volume and number of sites, making Valero the No. 1 fuel marketer in Texas with a total of 1,900 locations. With the addition of the stations run by Susser, the largest independent convenience-store operator in Texas, Valero will have a total of about 5,500 sites in the U.S. and Canada. Last month, Venezuelan-owned and operated Citgo warned it would stop selling its gasoline to marketers that provide fuel at stores in several states. What that means is that stations in 14 states will have until next March to find new sources of gasoline, The Wall Street Journal reported. But the large groups of Susser stations were not on the list. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, an outspoken critic of America, had called for the discontinuation of contracts that benefit U.S. consumers more than Venezuelans, according to reports. Recent company promotions put Citgo stations at 14,000 last year, some analysts say that number is drastically falling and may be closer to 12,000 at year’s end because of the now unreliable fuel source, on top of a negative image of its real owners. Chavez is visiting China this week attempting to sign long-term contracts with China to make up the difference with from the fast-falling Citgo locations. At the same time, major jobbers with Citgo contracts are most likely scrambling to make new partnerships with Valero, Shell and Exon. Ironically, Citgo’s U.S. administrative offices are in Houston and their data processing operations are in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It’s going to be hard for them to buy gas with their employee discount cards. BTW - gas is about 12 cents a gallon in Venezuela, totally paid for by US consumers. Hello?

[Phil Fiord]

Also, PetroExpress is a real company and this is a source about it. I suspect the name was used because it is real and many will simply read it and maybe check a few quick facts and gloss over detail.

(NPNweb.com) Petro Express Inc., Charlotte, N.C., is phasing out Citgo Petroleum Corp. gasoline. By next year, the company will no longer sell the brand, The Charlotte Observer reported Oct. 17.

Citgo, the refining arm of Venezuelan national oil company PDVSA, has become the subject of a growing boycott in the United States since Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez referred to the president as “the devil” last month in a United Nations speech.
Petro Express hasn’t cited global politics as the reason for the change, but the brand is disappearing from 45 of its 66 locations this year. The company joins convenience store giant 7-Eleven, which this month dumped Citgo at its 2,100 locations.
Dallas-based 7-Eleven said it had a change in the works for several years, but noted in a written statement that “regardless of politics, we sympathize with many Americans’ concern over derogatory comments about our country.”
Petro Express announced last week an ongoing remodeling of its locations and called the changes “renewed emphasis on the Petro Express brand.”
“We have chosen to market the Petro Express fuel brand in lieu of any national brand,” the company said in a written statement. The statement did not mention Citgo. Petro Express spokesman Simon Moye didn’t return repeated telephone calls from the Observer.

[American Patriot]

Yeah, I didn't have a lot of time to check that, and I skimmed the snopes article. It was looking pretty vague at that point and I didn't pursue it because I got busy with some other stuff.

[Phil Fiord]

http://urbanlegends.about.com/librar...go_boycott.htm

The above link is really pretty informative. I posted it below as well.

Venezuela Dictator Vows to Bring Down U.S. Government (Citgo / Petro Express Boycott)

Netlore Archive: AFA email flier urges Americans to boycott Venezuela-owned Citgo gas stations in response to anti-U.S. statements made by Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez


Description: Email flier
Circulating since: Jan. 2006
Analysis: See below


Variant #1:
Email example contributed by Roger C., 11 February 2006:

Subject: Citgo gas We must not buy from Citgo anymore! Americans can put a chokehold on this despot by cutting off this major money source... yet again, it's time to take action!!! I did check this and it does appear to be true. Butch Venezuela Dictator Vows To Bring Down U.S. Government Venezuela government is sole owner of Citgo gasoline company Venezuela Dictator Hugo Chavez has vowed to bring down the U.S. government. Chavez, president of Venezuela, told a TV audience: "Enough of imperialist aggression; we must tell the world: down with the U.S. empire. We have to bury imperialism this century." The guest on his television program, beamed across Venezuela, was Cindy Sheehan, the antiwar activist. Chavez recently had as his guest Harry Belafonte, who called President Bush "the greatest terrorist in the world." Chavez is pushing a socialist revolution and has a close alliance with Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Regardless of your feelings about the war in Iraq, the issue here is that we have a socialist dictator vowing to bring down the government of the U.S. And he is using our money to achieve his goal! The Venezuela government, run by dictator Chavez, is the sole owner of Citgo gas company. Sales of products at Citgo stations send money back to Chavez to help him in his vow to bring down our government. Take Action Please decide that you will not be shopping at a Citgo station. Why should U.S. citizens who love freedom be financing a dictator who has vowed to take down our government? Very important. Please forward this to your friends and family. Most of them don't know that Citgo is owned by the Venezuela government. Thanks for caring enough to get involved.

Variant #2:
Email example contributed by Elna S., 21 February 2006:

CHECK THIS OUT! Cindy Sheehan & Chavez Venezuela Dictator Vows to Bring Down U.S. Government Venezuela government is sole owner of Citgo gasoline company Venezuela Dictator Hugo Chavez has vowed to bring down the U.S. government. Chavez, president of Venezuela, told a TV audience: "Enough of imperialist aggression; we must tell the world: down with the U.S. empire. We have to bury imperialism this century." The guest on his television program, beamed across Venezuela, was Cindy Sheehan, the antiwar activist. Chavez recently had as his guest Harry Belafonte, who called President Bush "the greatest terrorist in the world." Chavez is pushing a socialist revolution and has a close alliance with Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Regardless of your feelings about the war in Iraq, the issue here is that we have a socialist dictator vowing to bring down the government of the U.S. And he is using our money to achieve his goal! The Venezuela government, run by dictator Chavez, sole owner of Citgo gas co. Sales of products at Citgo stations send money back to Chavez to help him in his vow to bring down our government. Take Action Please decide that you will not be shopping at a Citgo station. Why should U.S. citizens who love freedom be financing a dicator who has vowed to take down our government? Very important. Please forward this to your friends and family. Most of them don't know that Citgo is owned by the Venezuela government.

Update: Variants circulating since November 2006 claim that some Citgo stations have changed their name to Petro Express in order to avoid being boycotted. One message states that "Petro Express is also 100% owned by Chavez." This is false.

Petro Express is a chain of gas stations/convenience stores wholly owned by a U.S. company based in North Carolina. Until recently, Petro Express did sell gasoline purchased from Citgo Petroleum Corp., but the company announced in October 2006 that it would phase out the Citgo product from all of its 66 stations by 2007.

Comments: Is it just me, or has this whole notion of trying to punish countries and companies we don't like by boycotting their products at the gas pump reached the pinnacle of absurdity?

In the present case we are asked to eschew gasoline from Citgo, a subsidiary of Venezuela's state-owned petroleum company, because that nation's president has made anti-American statements. Sounds straightforward enough, but another very popular email flier says we shouldn't buy gas from the Middle East because terrorists come from that region (in fact, Citgo is named as a preferred alternative to these brands). Yet another forwarded message calls for a one-day boycott of all brands of gasoline to let OPEC know we're fed up with inflated prices. What's a consumer to do?

Further confusing the issue is the fact that most of these companies import crude oil from more than one region, they trade supplies back and forth to meet demand, and they share pipelines as it suits them -- meaning, ultimately, that no matter where you buy your gas, you can never really be sure what country it came from. Case in point: According to U.S. Department of Energy records for 2005, BP, Chevron, Conoco, Exxon Mobil, and Valero, to name but a few, all bought crude oil imported from Venezuela. The upshot? By all means, boycott Citgo gasoline if your conscience moves you to, but bear in mind that if you continue to use gasoline at all, whatever the brand, you can't help but put money in Hugo Chavez's pocket. According to industry sources, the folks most likely to be hurt by such a boycott are the independent U.S. owners of Citgo-branded stations, not the Venezuelan government.

Q & A: Where did this message come from?
It was originally issued in January 2006 as an "action alert" by the American Family Association, a conservative Christian group.

Is it true that Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez vowed on television to "bring down the U.S. government"?
That's one interpretation of his actual televised words: "Enough of imperialist aggression; we must tell the world: down with the U.S. empire. We have to bury imperialism this century."
Arguably, when Chavez said "down with the U.S. empire," he was referring to U.S. foreign policy, not the country itself, nor its government. This is standard far-left anti-imperialist rhetoric, and was certainly interpreted as such by the mainstream press. The Associated Press, for example, characterized the speech as an invective against "U.S. dominance." Reuters described it as a campaign against "U.S. free-market policies in South America."
In any case, while it is crystal clear that Chavez hates the United States government, his statements fell well short of a declaration of war.

Was anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan present when Chavez made the speech?
Yes. The photograph above showing the two standing arm-in-arm was distributed by Reuters. Both Sheehan and Chavez made statements from the podium criticizing President Bush and the U.S. presence in Iraq.

Did Harry Belafonte also make a TV appearance with Chavez during which the entertainer called President Bush "the greatest terrorist in the world"?
Yes, on January 8, 2006.

Is Chavez an ally of Fidel Castro, and is he "pushing a socialist revolution"?
Yes, and yes.

Is Hugo Chavez a "dictator"?
Here we have another exercise in semantics. Based on a survey of published mentions of the Venezuelan leader, it appears the way one answers this question depends upon one's political bias. Though Chavez was democratically elected -- twice -- and continues to be regarded as a populist visionary by leftist supporters inside and outside Venezuela, right-of-center detractors tend to use words like "strongman," "on the road to becoming a dictator," or just plain "dictator" to describe him. U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld compared Chavez to Hitler; televangelist Pat Robertson actually called for his assassination. At the other extreme, certified lefties like Cindy Sheehan and Harry Belafonte have praised Chávez for "supporting life and peace." Go figure.
Is Citgo owned by the Venezuelan government?
Yes.

Can American consumers avoid contributing dollars to Venezuela's treasury by boycotting Citgo gasoline?
Not entirely. See above.



Sources and further reading:

Petro Express Nixing Cigto Gas
Charlotte Observer, 17 October 2006 Citgo Gas Boycott Urged by Conservative Religious Group
Reuters, 1 February 2006
Sheehan, Chavez Bash Bush, Iraq War
Associated Press, 30 January 2006
Belafonte Calls Bush 'Greatest Terrorist'
Associated Press, 8 January 2006
Venezuela: President Agitates for Socialist Revolution
Green Left Weekly, 9 March 2005
The Iron Fist of Hugo Chavez
Fox News, 4 February 2005
Making a Political Statement at the Gas Pump
Christian Science Monitor, 4 November 2002
Web Activists Send Emails to Protest Oil and Gas Costs
Washington Post, 14 September 2005
Primer on Gasoline Sources and Markets
U.S. Energy Information Agency
Dec. 2005 Oil Imports by Company
(Excel spreadsheet) U.S. Energy Information Agency

Last updated: 09/21/06

[American Patriot]

Regardless. Citgo is actually owned by Chavez' government. That's true.

I don't buy their gas. I stopped getting it at 7-11 too, until they decided to stop selling it

[Phil Fiord]

I never bought Citgo. Not because of Chavez, though that is great incentive. It was not a trusted brand to me. It was that simple. I had once gotten a bad tank through Arco and that was a trusted but cheap brand. It was costly to repair the damage. So, I switched to only companies like Chevron, Exxon, Shell as to this day I have never had a bad tank.

So, while any company may still receive Ven oil due to shared pipelines, it is the blend and additives that make a difference to me as a consumer.

[samizdat]

Hugo's a fart. No need to check the links. This is factual information. Evacuate immediately in case of approach. Failure to do so will result in olfactory stench. Warning... some cases of contagion are endless.

[American Patriot]

Welcome to the site Tranquill....

[Brian Baldwin]

tranquill was a spam bot Rick. I took care of it.