Question:
Group pushes Venezuela gasoline boycott
By Erwin Seba
http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle....TGO-BOYCOTT.xml
HOUSTON (Reuters) - A conservative religious group protesting the anti-U.S. criticisms of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is urging drivers to steer clear of gasoline sold by Citgo Petroleum Corp., the organization's chairman said on Wednesday.
The American Family Association launched the boycott of Citgo, the U.S. refining and marketing branch of Venezuela's national oil company PDVSA, in an attempt to cut oil revenue flowing to the Venezuelan government of Chavez, which has been a harsh critic of U.S. President Bush.
It doesn't make sense to purchase gasoline from a country that wants to bring down the U.S. government, AFA Chairman Donald Wildmon told Reuters in a telephone interview from the organization's Tupelo, Mississippi, headquarters.
A Citgo spokesman declined to comment on the boycott effort. A source at the company's Houston headquarters said Citgo has received more than 37,000 e-mails from people pledging not to buy gasoline at the company's 14,000 U.S. service stations.
This is the second campaign focusing on Citgo because of Chavez. In 2005, liberal groups began urging people opposed to the Bush Administration to buy their gasoline at Citgo gas stations as a sign of support for Chavez.
AFA's boycott campaign began after U.S. antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan met with Chavez over the weekend, Wildmon said.
Enough of imperialist aggression, Chavez said at that meeting. We must tell the world, down with the U.S. empire.
Chavez has accused the U.S. government of attempting to bring down his administration. U.S. officials deny the charge but have called Chavez a destabilizing force in the region.
I think the man wants to be the next Fidel Castro, Wildmon said.
Relations between Washington and Venezuela, a top supplier of U.S. oil imports, have degenerated since Chavez first won office in 1998. Chavez says the U.S. capitalist model has hurt the economies of South America and says his self-styled socialist policies are better for the region.
OPEC nation Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the Western Hemisphere and is one of the top five exporters of crude and products to the United States.
Despite tense relations with the Bush administration, Chavez has used Citgo as a tool of goodwill diplomacy in recent months, donating low-cost heating oil to poor people in the United States.
AFA claims 2.97 million on-line supporters. The organization was founded in 1977 by Wildmon, a Methodist minister, as the National Federation of Decency.
Answer:
I think the man wants to be the next Fidel Castro, Wildmon said.
What, and nationalize his country's industries?
Answer:
Isn't this the same group that boycotted/protest Ford and Microsoft for advertising their cars in gay magazines?
Answer:
Isn't this the same group that boycotted/protest Ford and Microsoft for advertising their cars in gay magazines?
yep. they're notoriously anti-gay and have also boycotted disney, proctor and gamble, kraft, etc for 'promoting homosexuality'.
Answer:
That's so sad, 14,000 gas stations? What will ever happen to the workers in those gas stations if no one buy their gas? Awww...
By the way since there's a topic about U.S. and Venezuela I would like to ask if anyone know our relation with Venezuela? I've seen a lot of headlines with Chavez against Bush. That's kind of scary. Are we enemies?
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I hope chavez has somebody take out the AFA.
Answer:
Today I went pass a Citgo gas station, wah, their gas is more expensive than even Mobil or Chevron..!!! Without even the need to boycott, I'm not going to pay more than I should for gas. LOL.
