***** HUGO CHAVEZ *****
***** HUGO CHAVEZ *****
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez died yesterday.
Found this “interesting” Huff Post article.
Whatcha think?
“American flags at many Citgo facilities across the country are flying half-staff today for a reason that’s raising a few eyebrows.
The oil company, owned entirely by the government of Venezuela, has dropped the flags as a tribute to late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who passed away March 5 after a prolonged battle with cancer.
Chavez had a contentious relationship with the United States, and at one time, Slate recalls, the leader famously suggested that former U.S. President George W. Bush was the devil.
The intensity of Chavez’s anti-American rhetoric has left many questioning the decision to lower the American flag in his honor.
ABC affiliate KTRK reports the American flag at Citgo’s Houston headquarters appears to be slightly above other flags — including a Texas state flag and a Venezuelan flag — at the facility.
Citgo released a statement to KPLC-TV in Louisiana Tuesday, detailing its sense of loss for the leader, yet not directly explaining the decision to drop the American flag.
Via KPLC:
President Hugo Chávez of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela leaves behind a legacy of support for the underprivileged and promotion of social justice that transcends geographical boundaries. We at CITGO Petroleum Corporation are deeply saddened by the news of his passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the people of Venezuela in this time of grief.
Per Title 4 of the U.S. Code, the American flag may be flown at half-staff following the death of “other officials or foreign dignitaries” if indicated in presidential instructions. However, private individuals and organizations are not legally bound to follow provisions regarding flag etiquette.
Legal or not, Citgo’s decision has incensed many in the social media sphere”
What I think is we should boycott Citgo stations and their convenience stores.
This pos was calling for the down fall of the United States and this business has the nerve to fly our American flag at half mast. Maybe they should fly the Venezulean flag at half mast but not the US flag.
I think in remberance of this tyrant the people of the United States should boycott CITGO for 30 days. This would be a great way for us to remember what this man meant to us.
An American flag. the symbol of everything we stand for. These guys are insulting.
I usually pass Citgo by anyway because I know who owns them, but now I’m sure that bypassing all these years was the fight thing to do.
time not to stop at citgo.
that’s all I got to say.
talk about stupid business decisions.
I haven’t gone into a Citgo stattion for years. And after their temporary president said yesterday the US may have caused Chavez’ illness, I think we ought to make sure he has no worries by pulling all US citizens out of Venezuela and then boycotting their Oil. Lets see how much oil Iran buys from them.
shelly, im with you. americans should boycott citgo and that would be the end of them. buying from our enemies makes no sense.
I just hope the people of Venezuela are able to replace him with someone better. They are hard working people who deserve better. Chavez did not speak for the people so to i would not want to cause them any other damage.
mark, I say we boycott the bastards which would cause a revolution in the country. time for the crooks running these countries to go.
I’m just wondering how Chavez is enjoying Hell. I can’t wait for old Fidel and Raoul to join him, but it’s coming soon.
Folks like these three are bloodsuckers.
They live off others and hold the people in contempt.
Havent been in a Citgo station in years.
Hell just got a new resident
Flying the US flag at half mast is an insult to our great patriots and heroes.
Chavez was a BUM.
Time for Citgo to be put out of business.
Jeff:
Love the blog.
Now you got them fighting over Hugo Chavez.
Brilliant, just brilliant!
I just read that boxing promoter Don King wants to give Chavez a 10 bell honor before the HBO fights this coming Saturday.
King is another crook not to mention former felon guilty of manslaughter.
Amazing how the American public lets bad guys get to the top.
Here’s another Charlie Rangel. the guy is the ultimate politican crook, yet the people reelected him and the Congress didn’t throw him the hell out.
This country is fuked up.
Time to boycott Citgo.
He didn’t die sooner, that’s my only problem. Hopefully better people will come into power but Chavez gangsters will try to maintain their grip…Lotsa money in that seeing how man of the people socialist Hugo amassed at least one billion dollars
chavez was a two bit dictator,
screwed the people.
Aren’t all dictators two bit and screw their populous??
I don’t get it Mike Hunt. Why use one of your aliases for a normal non insulting remark?
I love the word boycott. Hate to tell you guys but the last time a boycott worked was the 1970s. LOL. Its pure foolishness. The people who on those Citgo stations are Americans. Living here, paying taxes here. Since you dont like Chavez (he is dead) why drive at all because some of that money might end up in the Middle East. Walk or use a bike. It will keep you skinny as well.
citgo is owned by the Venezuelan national oil co.
boycott citgo.
explain this one for me.
he was a socialist.
so how did he die with billions of dollars?
he must be burning real good right about now.
fidel your next.
what comes around goes around.
Hugo Chavez’ Last Laugh: OIL
By Marin Katusa
On March 5, 2013, Hugo Chavez, one of the most iconic presidents in the world, died at the age of 58. While he was alive, Chavez was a highly controversial figure, calling George W. Bush a drunkard and a “psychologically sick man” and Tony Blair an “imperialist pawn who attempts to curry favor with Danger Bush-Hitler.”
Like him or hate him, Chavez definitely had a huge following in Venezuela as well as the entirety of Latin America. His anti-American and socialistic rhetoric made him an ally of Fidel Castro in Cuba and Ahmadinejad in Iran. Combined with Correa in Ecuador, Fernandez in Argentina, and Morales in Bolivia, Chavez was able to make a front in South America against the “evil imperialist gringos.”
But with him no longer in the picture, things will change, and cheap Venezuelan oil will be able to flow into the markets, right?
Wrong.
Whoever succeeds Hugo Chavez will be trapped between a rock and a hard place. Venezuela currently has some of the cheapest gasoline in the world; it’s costing an average of $1 to fill up one’s tank. These low prices are made possible by the enormous amount of fuel subsidies – estimated to be 4.5% of their GDP (for reference, the US Department of Defense spends 4.5% of the US GDP). Any attempts to remove these subsidies will be met with enormous resistance from the population, which has long viewed cheap gas as a birthright.
To make things worse, the production of oil from Venezuela has been steadily decreasing due to the lack of reinvesting back into the oil patch and lack of upgrading the energy infrastructure. Instead of investing in the oil sector, Chavez has been spending most of the money on social programs. This decrease in supply combined with increased demand for oil from a growing population means there is much less oil available for exports.
In fact, since Chavez took power in 1999, Venezuela’s oil exports have been cut by half.
Oil provides 45% of Venezuela’s revenue, so in order to keep running the country, the government must find a way to get more money out of every barrel that they export.
And what better way is there than to pass it on to the evil imperialist consumers of the West?
This situation is not happening just in Venezuela, but in many other oil-producing countries: Iran, Kuwait, and Indonesia are just a few examples. It is only a matter of time before these countries conspire together in order to raise the worldwide price of crude oil. What will they raise it to?
US$100 per barrel of oil? US$150? US$200?
Whatever it takes to keep the country running and the ruling classes in power.
Will America be spared? According to the latest International Energy Agency (IEA) report, the United States will become self-sufficient in energy by 2035, which means that it will be free from the geopolitical manipulations of oil-producing countries.
Unfortunately for America, this report is flawed and filled with inconsistencies.
all the usa has to do is stop importing oil for a measly 30 days, you name the country and oil will fall in price like a lead balloon. these countries have no industry but oil.
I cant believe that some here actually believe that Chavez was a good leader.
The simple facts was that he was dictator who robbed the people of billions of dollars.
Hopefully the people will get a new leader who let’s them “live,”