HOUSTON, May 5, 2009 --- Talento Bilingüe de Houston, a non-profit organization that has evolved into this city’s Latino Cultural Arts Center, has chosen CITGO Petroleum Corporation as the recipient of the organization’s prestigious Corporation of the Year 2008 Award.

Houston Mayor Bill White presented CITGO with the award during Talento Bilingüe de Houston’s annual luncheon, which was held as part of 5 de Mayo festivities, to commemorate the victory of the Mexican military over the French Army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

With the award, Talento Bilingüe de Houston recognized CITGO’s work in reaching out to the Latino community both in Houston and throughout the nation.

“Music and dance awakens the passion in all of us but nothing excites CITGO as much as simply helping those in need through our social development programs, in alignment with principles and values of solidarity embraced by our shareholder, PDVSA, the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, ” said CITGO President and CEO Alejandro Granado about the award.

The programs being implemented by CITGO include the Energy Efficiency Lighting Program, the CITGO-Venezuela Heating Oil program, and several educational and environmental projects.  Most of them are being implemented in the Northeastern and Southwestern regions of the country and reach more than one million people each year.

 “In Texas, and especially in the city of Houston, we offer our support to several organizations, among them the Mexican Institute, The Kipp Academy, Neighborhood Centers, Friends for Life and Habitat for Humanity,” Granado added.

In granting the award, Talento Bilingüe de Houston especially took into account the work done by CITGO through its supplier diversity initiative.  This particular effort, launched last year, has been aimed at significantly increasing the number of minority and women-owned businesses that are part of the company’s supply chain.  Thus, CITGO has offered support to the work of small companies while helping improve the quality of life in communities across the nation.

     CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products.  The company is owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

For more information visit www.citgo.com

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