/ 2 August 2011

Hugo Chávez shows off new haircut

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez appeared on television sporting a freshly shaved head, explaining that his chemotherapy had given him "a new look".

Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez has appeared on television sporting a freshly shaved head, explaining — with a broad grin — that his chemotherapy had given him “a new look”.

Holding up a black and white photograph of himself as a toddler, Chávez joked: “I have the same haircut,” adding that he was losing his hair as result of his cancer treatment.

“I went to bathe and a bit of hair fell out, and last night we called the barber,” Chávez told politicians during a swearing-in ceremony for new Cabinet ministers. Chávez said his hair loss indicated the chemotherapy was working.

Chávez (57) underwent surgery in Cuba on June 20 to remove a cancerous tumour, which was followed by an initial round of chemotherapy to prevent malignant cells from reappearing.

He said he expected to begin another round of chemotherapy soon, but vowed to keep working. The tumour is located in his pelvic region and is the “size of a baseball”, though Chávez has not revealed what type of cancer he has.

The Venezuelan president was particularly animated during the televised ceremony, criticising the opposition, discussing Friedrich Nietzsche and recalling a comic he enjoyed reading as a child.

Last week he also appeared to be in jovial spirits, predicting in a phone call broadcast on state TV that he would soon have a “military cut” and may soon start to look like the late — and famously bald — actor Yul Brynner.

Chávez has been in office since 1999 and is seeking another six-year term in 2012. On Wednesday, he expressed optimism that he will still be president in 2031.

Chávez said during the meeting that his white blood cell count has fallen as a result of his chemotherapy. He added that his weakened immune system meant he had to be careful not to catch an illness. – guardian.co.uk