As the death toll from this winter’s cold spell climbs, freezing temperatures have stirred up a blizzard of applications to a home heating assistance program criticized for its connection to Venezuela’s socialist-and President Bush-bashing-President Hugo Chavez.

“Our call volume has increased exponentially in the past month,” Citizens Energy Corp. Spokesperson Ashley Durmer said. Citizens Energy Corp., a nonprofit organization, funnels discounted heating oil from Venezuela-owned CITGO Petroleum Corp. to eligible applicants.