Carlos Berrizbeitia, a parliamentarian for opposition Proyecto Venezuela party, plans to propose holding a referendum on the sale of Citgo Petroleum Corporation, a subsidiary of the Venezuelan state-run oil conglomerate Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa).
 
Berrizbeitia, who questions President Hugo Chávez' rationale for selling Pdvsa refining arm in the United States as well as a huge network of gas stations in this country, stated that Citgo is a "Venezuelan asset" and, therefore, its sale is to be left to Venezuelans to decide.
 
He claimed that if the National Assembly does not call for a referendum on this subject, he would sponsor a signature collection move to seek a popular consultation.