Lawmakers Investigate Chavez Brothers

By FABIOLA SANCHEZ – 1 hour ago

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's National Assembly opened an investigation Wednesday into a congressman's accusations that two of President Hugo Chavez's brothers acquired 17 ranches in recent years — if true a potential stain on the image of Chavez's socialist movement.

Lawmaker Wilmer Azuaje detailed his allegations in a closed-door committee session, presenting documents that he says show how an assortment of ranch lands were obtained by Chavez's brothers Argenis and Narciso.

Azuaje said afterward that he asked the congressional audit commission to visit the haciendas for an inspection and to summon those who sold the properties for questioning.

Azuaje, of the president's socialist party, said the ranches are all located in Chavez's home state of Barinas, where the president's father is governor.

Asked if the accusations are linked to his own campaign for governor in Barinas, Azuaje said Chavez and his party "demand that we denounce... acts of corruption (and) incapacity."

There was no immediate reaction from Chavez's younger brothers or the president, who was traveling in Brazil.

The lawmaker told the Venezuelan television channel Globovision on Tuesday that he has documents indicating Chavez's brothers acquired 17 ranches through front men who carried out the transactions on their behalf.

Azuaje said he decided to call for the investigation because he feels the land acquisitions harm the image of Chavez's socialist movement. He said he also has asked prosecutors to open a separate investigation.

The congressman said that before going public he sent evidence earlier this month to Chavez's justice minister, who he said turned over the documents to Chavez's elder brother Adan — his education minister — and in turn to lawyers of the Chavez family. Azuaje said he doubted the documents were going to reach the president.

He said the purchases of ranches raise questions about where the money came from.

Azuaje said one Chavez family employee by the name of Izarra should be investigated to determine how he managed to buy a single ranch valued at US$372,000 (euro237,000), the Venezuelan newspaper El Universal reported on Wednesday.

The National Assembly has been almost completely pro-Chavez since the opposition boycotted 2005 congressional elections. The single-house legislature approved the investigation's launch on Tuesday, said National Assembly President Cilia Flores, a close ally of the president.

"The healthiest thing" is to investigate both Azuaje's claims and what may be behind them, Flores said, according to El Universal.

Lawmakers will investigate not only the president's brothers, but also Azuaje's activities, she said. Flores called Azuaje's accusations part of campaigning ahead of state and local elections in November.

"I know you're candidate for governor," she said.

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