In his comment to the BBC admitting price-fixing intentions, "We have the largest oil reserves in the world, we have oil for 200 years." Mr Chávez told the BBC's Newsnight program in an interview to be broadcast tonight. "$50 a barrel - that's a fair price, not a high price."

According to Wikipedia, "Chávez's stance as an OPEC price hawk has raised the price of oil for the United States, as Venezuela pushed OPEC producers towards a higher price, around $25 a barrel. During Venezuela's presidency of OPEC in 2000, Chávez made a ten-day tour of OPEC countries, in the process becoming the first head of state to meet Saddam Hussein since the Gulf War. The visit was controversial at home and in the US, although Chávez did respect the ban on international flights to and from Iraq (he drove from Iran, his previous stop)."

For consumers who already are disenfranchised by the prices at the pump, this recent Chavez fiasco was the last straw. "I just cannot give up my hard-earned money to Chavez's government-run Citgo." a motorist was quoted as saying, "Not anymore, not after all this. You disrespect my country, my President and our way of life and the people will take their business elsewhere. It's as simple as that."