"My family has no estate ... a reputation can not be destroyed so easily," said Adán Chávez, Barinas state governor and brother of President Hugo Chávez.

Reference was made to press reports, according to which he and other members of the presidential family hold five bank accounts in the United States amounting to USD 137 million.

The report about the alleged fortune of the Chávez family was published by the Mexican newspaper La Razón.

The governor urged the media to release truthful reports. "Everybody can review my accounts and affidavits; I have only a house in Alto Barinas and it took me ten years to pay it with my salary as a university teacher."

He added that he does not own a car, because he gave it to his son, and he is now using a car property of the State.