Mexican newspaper: Chávez's family has USD 137 million in US accounts

[Bacchus39]

The family of Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez has USD 137 million in several US bank accounts, according to an investigation made by Mexican newspaper La Razón (www.razon.com.mx).

La Razón reported that "under the umbrella of power, the Venezuelan president's family has a life style that includes jewelry, cars, travels and even weapons, in contrast to Chávez's anti-capitalist discourse."

According to La Razón, reports issued by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 2008 show that DEA found five bank accounts in US banks amounting to nearly USD 140 million and belonging to the brothers and mother of the Venezuelan president.

The report claims that Adelis Chávez Frías, a brother of the Venezuela president, tops the lists with USD 90 million, followed by Adán Chávez, with USD 18 million.


http://english.eluniversal.com/2010/12/09/en_pol_esp_mexican-newspaper:-c_09A4834337.shtml

[spanza]

1. hmm

I really don't know why they would put their money in the US. That would be the most stupid thing to do.

[bemildred]

2. In a bank? In the USA? In dollars? nt

[spanza]

3. What do you mean?

[bemildred]

4. Just adding to your puzzlement.

My first thought when I saw this story is why would they do that? Wouldn't they want to put their money somewhere secure?

[spanza]

6. They'd be completely insane to do something like that

Moreover they've created a Russo-Venezuelan investment bank which would fit particularly well for that kind of purpose.

[social_critic]

7. Nuhuh

An investment bank isn't the same as a regular bank. They dont take deposits from people walking off the street.

If I were a rich politician in Venezuela, or a relative thereof, I would take money to the US as a way station, then move it into real estate in Europe and the Far East. But Russia? No way. They would be exposed to the Kremlin's goodwill.

[naaman fletcher]

5. Wow

You'd think he'd spend some of it on the poor.

[John Q. Citizen]

8. He has drastically cut poverty, so that's a good thing. Maybe Mexico,

Honduras, El Salvador, Haiti, The Dominican Republic and other nations in Latin America could emulate their success.

[struggle4progress]

9. Slow news day at El Universal? The La Razón story is from last February:

13 de febrero de 2010 01:56
Los Chávez tienen 137 mdd en EU
Al amparo del poder, la familia del presidente venezolano Hugo Chávez lleva un estilo de vida que incluye joyas, autos, viajes y hasta armas, en contraste con el discurso anticapitalista
http://www.razon.com.mx/spip.php?article2385511

The story is pretty vague: ... Informes de la DEA ... datos de la DEA[/i\