Citgo Discounts Heating Oil 40 Percent for the Poor

Citgo has launched a plan to provide discount heating oil to the poor. The program started in Massachusetts when 45,000 people have received discounted oil at 40 percent of the market value. (CNN broadcast report).

In December 8 million gallons of heating oil will be delivered to families in the Bronx at the same price 40 percent of the market value.

Citgo is the American division of the National oil company of Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela. Chavez the president of Venezuela had previously made threats to stop exporting to United States entirely. Later last summer he had made a promise to provide cheap oil to America's poor. Now he is making good the promise through Citgo.

Chavez has been aligned with Cuba for some times and also provides Cuba with discounted oil. And now Chavez move is being interpreted as a way to embarrass American owned oil companies to share their profits with the poor. This is reflected by a statement by a Bronx based Democrat who made the deal with Chavez :

"... the agreement provided "an incredible message to other oil companies."
"It tells them," he said, "that that if these people in Venezuela can share their profits with poorer communities, then they should, too."

Chavez has continued to assault the Bush Administration, and the United States in general accusing us as a terrorist state with one hand, as he makes an humanitarian effort with the other.