Chavez tells all . . . to Naomi
Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez has given an interview to supermodel Naomi Campbell in which he claims George Bush is out to kill him, and hails Fidel Castro as a fashion icon.
Ms Campbell was granted an audience with the controversial politician for 'GQ' magazine, where she has a new role as contributing editor.
Mr Chavez described US President George Bush as "completely crazy''.
But in a wide-ranging interview, Ms Campbell also found time to quiz the left-wing leader on sartorial matters.
Required to name "the most stylish world leader'', Mr Chavez replied: "Fidel, of course! His uniform is impeccable. His boots are polished, his beard is elegant.''
Ms Campbell also asked if he knew the Spice Girls.
"I have memories of them. I know the Queen of England, though. I sent her a present. Coming down from Buckingham Palace, I gave her a coin with her face on it,'' he said.
Mr Chavez was keen to find out more about the royal family, asking Ms Campbell: "Do you know Prince Charles?''
When she replied that she had met him and had known Diana, Princess of Wales, Mr Chavez declared: "I like the prince. Now he has Camilla, his new girl. She's not as attractive, is she?''
Ms Campbell also wanted to know: "Would you go topless like Vladimir Putin?''
"Why not? Touch my muscles!'' he exclaimed.
The former paratrooper and friend of London Mayor Ken Livingstone used the interview to rage against the US, or "the Empire of the Eagle'', as he preferred to call it.
"We're seeing the fall of the empire. When the world is in fear -- that's the first step before the fall," he said. "Like the fairytale, the emperor is naked. We've seen the emperor's ass."
Crazy
Of Mr Bush he said: "He's completely crazy. But he's on the way out,'' and Condoleezza Rice is "secretary of state of a genocidal government''.
Asked by Ms Campbell if Mr Bush wanted to kill him, Mr Chavez said: "I think he does. Him and his companions.''
Venezuela is an oil-rich nation and Mr Chavez claimed: "The oil will run out in half of the world but we'll have oil here for another hundred years. Fidel tells me, 'Don't say that! Every time you say that, Bush has you in his sights'.''
Mr Chavez said Venezuela is a beacon of human rights -- a claim which has been disputed.
"Here, we are just starting a peaceful revolution. We don't have a single political prisoner. We have not shot anyone. We've prohibited the detention of anyone for political reasons. Everyone is presumed innocent and their human rights respected."
- Anita Singh
