Thanks to all the readers e-mailing the story. I’m glad to hear it, but it’s not quite clear to me that Chavez’s unhingedness at the U.N. had anything to do with it. Looks to me from the news stories that this had been in the works for a while:

7-Eleven spokesman Margaret Chabris said that, “Regardless of politics, we sympathize with many Americans’ concern over derogatory comments about our country and its leadership recently made by Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez.”

Chabris said a boycott of Citgo gasoline would hurt the 4,000 employees of the U.S. subsidiary, who have no connection to Venezuela.

7-Eleven had been considering creating its own brand of fuel since at least early last year. Company officials said at the time they had spoken with independent fuel distributors.

Whatever the reason, it’s a welcome outcome.

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More background here.

Debbie Schlussel raises a Slurpee to 7-11. I’ll second that.