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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Supermodel interviews Hugo Chavez


British supermodel Naomi Campbell talks to Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez  in Caracas in this Oct. 31 file photo. Associated Press
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press The Spokesman-Review

LONDON – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he likes Prince Charles and thinks President Bush is crazy, in an interview with Naomi Campbell in the British edition of GQ magazine.

The 37-year-old supermodel spoke to Chavez in her role as contributing editor to British GQ, the magazine said. Excerpts were released Monday.

Chavez, who lost a referendum last month that would have greatly expanded his powers and institutionalized his version of “21st-century socialism,” gave Campbell his views on a range of subjects.

He said Bush was “completely crazy. But he’s on his way out.”

“We’re seeing the fall of the empire. … Like the fairy tale, the emperor is naked,” he was quoted as saying.

Asked to name the world’s most stylish leader, Chavez chose Cuba’s Fidel Castro.

“Fidel, of course! His uniform is impeccable. His boots are polished, his beard is elegant,” Chavez said.

Campbell asked if Chavez would appear topless in photos as Russian President Vladimir Putin has done.

“Why not?” he said. “Touch my muscles!”

The Venezuelan leader asked Campbell if she knew Prince Charles.

“I like the prince,” he said. “Now he has Camilla, his new girl. She’s not as attractive, is she?”

GQ said Campbell would interview other high-profile figures in politics, sports and entertainment.

The full interview with Chavez is in GQ’s February issue, to be released Thursday.

Campbell wrote that she had hoped to get a sense of “Hugo Chavez the man.”