Latino pop hunk CRISTIAN CASTRO insists his estranged wife only has herself to blame for her disappointing divorce settlement - because she has ruined his career.

The Azul singer has said he can't afford to pay Valeria Liberman the $25,000 ($12,500)-a-month she has requested, offering $5,000 (GBP2,500) instead.

The depressed star claims the divorce battle with his wife has been painful, and he is now a shadow of the man he once was.

He says, "I don't have any money. My artistic career is at an all-time low, and she has everything.

"Nobody goes to my concerts. The only people who are interested in me are the tabloids. My career was destroyed by Valeria, and people aren't investing in me."

Liberman's defence team has portrayed Castro as an artist in high demand. Liberman filed for divorce from Castro last year (07), accusing the singer of domestic violence.

As part of the messy split, Castro was banned from seeing his two children and ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.