No Devil at the 7-11

Maybe Elvis only now.

7-Eleven to End Relationship with Venezuela-Backed Citgo

DALLAS — A week after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called George W. Bush “the devil,” convenience store chain 7-Eleven Inc. said Wednesday it will stop selling gasoline from Venezuelan-controlled Citgo Petroleum Corp.

The Dallas, Texas-based company said in a statement it disapproved of Chavez’ comments, but a spokeswoman insisted politics were not part of the decision to end its 20-year agreement with Houston-based Citgo, a position supported by Venezuelan and Citgo officials. Chavez angered the White House and its supporters when he called President Bush “the devil” in a Sept. 20 speech at the United Nations and said the podium still reeked of sulfur after a Bush appearance there.

“Regardless of politics, we sympathize with many Americans’ concerns over derogatory comments about our country and its leadership recently made” by Chavez, 7-Eleven said in a statement.

The company’s decision appeared to represent a broadening of U.S.-Venezuela tensions, which previously had been little more than a war of words between Chavez and the Bush administration, but 7-Eleven spokeswoman Margaret Chabris told Reuters that was not the case.

The decision to drop Citgo, a subsidiary of Venezuelan national oil company PDVSA, was made well before the speech, she said, and based on 7-Eleven’s desire to sell its own branded gasoline. “People are making it out to be more than it is,” Chabris said. A source close to the talks said Citgo, which supplies 2,100 7-Eleven locations, was told two months ago of the company’s decision.

That may be true Ms. Chabris, but it sure does come at a good time in my book. 

Next we need to get rid of all the CITGO stations.