Venezuela’s CITGO Petroleum Corp. is handing out energy efficient light bulbs across the U.S., despite political tensions between the two nations.

Houston-based CITGO is teaming with nonprofit Citizen’s Energy Corp. of Boston to hold workshops on energy conservation.

They plan to distribute nearly 500,000 small fluorescent bulbs in 11 cities.

The program kicks off in Houston Thursday, two days after it began in Washington.

The companies joined in 2005 to bring Venezuelan heating oil to low-income U.S. households. Critics alleged that President Hugo Chavez was attempting to spread his leftist ideals.

Chavez often threatens to cut off oil shipments to the U.S. But Venezuela remains its fifth biggest supplier.