Maduro’s Nike outfit sparks interest after U.S. arrest

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s Nike tracksuit, worn during his arrest by U.S. forces on Jan. 3, has gone viral online. Analysts say the combination of the dramatic detention of an anti-American sitting president and a well-known sportswear brand drew widespread attention.

U.S. President Donald Trump posted a photo on his social media platform Truth Social on Jan. 3 showing Maduro in a gray tracksuit while being escorted, captioned, “President Maduro aboard U.S. assault ship Iwo Jima.” Earlier that day, U.S. forces raided Maduro’s safe house, removing him and his wife from their bedroom while they slept.

The photo, released immediately after the arrest, quickly drew attention from major media outlets and spread rapidly online, generating a flood of memes. Maduro’s gray tracksuit is Nike’s Tech Fleece set. On Nike’s official website, the top and bottom are priced at 271,700 South Korean won, and the top sold out in all sizes from S to L due to high demand. Following the photo’s release, Google Trends reported that searches for the product surged more than fivefold, and online shopping inquiries reportedly increased in South Korea.

Some commentators noted the irony of a leftist president who promoted anti-American policies wearing a symbol of Western capitalism. Spain’s El Español observed, “While governments around the world discussed and analyzed the implications of Maduro’s arrest, social media users focused on his tracksuit.”


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