Buy Venezuelan?

When I first read what I quoted below in my August 10th post I immediately decided to put it in my blog. What a great idea, just by buying gas from a different company I could help save the world and stick it to Mr. Bush. What could be better? Then doubt crept into my mind. How do I know any word of this is true? Is CITGO really owned by Venezuela? Do all the profits really stay in Venezuela? Is Chavez really using the money to help the poor. Will buying gas at a CITGO station really help? I started Googling the Internet.

First thing I found is this:

In the 1990s, CITGO was purchased by Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. CITGO is based in Houston, Texas, and continues to be a leading refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals, refined waxes, asphalt and other industrial products.

at the Citgo website.

Next I found this:

Chavez has developed an economic model called "endogenous development" whereby state oil money will finance the creation of thousands of small-scale cooperatives in agricultural and other areas to provide jobs and foster community development.

A second leg of Chavez's master plan is something known as "cogestion," roughly translated as co-management, where the state is helping workers purchase shares of companies they work in to give them a greater say in management.

The goal of all this, they say, is to lift millions out of poverty by reducing Venezuela's reliance on oil, which has left the country with a weak manufacturing and agricultural base and over-dependent on imports of food and almost everything else.

in an article from the Chicago Tribune. Chavez is calling his program 21st Century Socialism.

Then this:

Oil profits -- about 25 billion dollars last year -- allow Mr. Chavez to carry out what he calls a "new socialist revolution." The leftist platform includes massive social spending. Hugo Chavez has built free health care clinics, subsidized food and created small manufacturing cooperatives.

in an article at a website called PolitInfo.com.

I found other articles but after looking at the sites carefully I discovered they were either very pro-Bush conservative or left leaning pro-Chavez. The conservative one's portray Chavez as dictator in the making and the left leaning one's portray him as a savior. Whatever he is this:

While the Bush administration engages in a war of words with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the US government has been giving permits to American arms dealers to sell weapons, tear gas, and other riot-control equipment to Venezuela.

At the same time, the US Congress has indirectly funded anti-Chavez pro-democracy groups.

in an article, entitled, US plays both Venezuela sides, from the Christian Science Monitor disgusted the hell out of me.

We could talk about the US foreign policy, which I think disguises unbridled imperialism behind the phrase "pro democracy," but, since I started out asking whether or not the BUY-cott is a good idea, we will leave it alone.

Then e found this:

Royal Dutch Shell must on Friday answer allegations by Venezuela that it has failed to pay $130m in back taxes, a response that could have critical implications for several oil companies operating in the country.

at FT.com. One small American company has already paid its tax bill in order to keep operating in the country and I'm sure others will follow.

Well, I think all my questions are answered. CITGO is owned by Venezuela, the profits seem to stay in country, Chavez is helping the poor, but will my buying gas from CITGO really help? Maybe but Chavez's military background and boast of carrying out a socialist revolution make me leary of just where his government is heading. The track record of military men who lead South American countries is not that good. Juan Peron of Argentina was another military man who tried to find a third way (not capitalism- not true socialism) but his way turned to a form of government which has been described as "a populist dictatorship." At this point I am not sure if Chavez is a good guy or not so I will just keep buying gas the way I normally do- at which ever station is the closest to me at the time I need gas.