In the midst of the political earthquake caused by the arrest of Nicolás Maduro by the United States, an unexpected detail ended up capturing the attention of millions: the clothing worn by the Venezuelan dictator at the time of his capture.
The images released following the operation, which took place at dawn on January 3, not only showed a leader accused of narcoterrorism under the custody of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), but also a man dressed in a tracksuit that quickly went viral.
According to a report by Univision Nueva York, Google searches for Maduro's outfit skyrocketed within hours, particularly for two items: a Nike Tech Fleece set and a blue sweatshirt from the brand Origin.
The contrast did not go unnoticed. While millions of Venezuelans are facing a prolonged economic crisis, social media users began to wonder how much the clothing worn by the Chavista leader cost.
According to El Universal Colombia, the Nike outfit shown in the images has an approximate price of 260 dollars, a figure that has sparked outrage, mockery, and comparisons to the “anti-imperialist” rhetoric that chavismo has upheld for years.
The conversation went beyond the price. The blue sweatshirt that Maduro was wearing upon arriving in New York sparked such interest that the company Origin, based in the United States, publicly acknowledged that it did not have that model available for immediate sale.
Its executive director, Peter Roberts, quoted by Univision, even suggested that the garment may have belonged to a DEA agent and might have been lent to the detainee during transport.
The episode left images that circulated around the world. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, dressed in sportswear from American brands, were escorted by federal agents, while social media buzzed with memes, political critiques, and debates about symbols, power, and contradictions.
For many Cubans, both on the island and abroad, the scene felt disturbingly familiar. Quite a few drew parallels with the elite in power in Cuba, where the official narrative of sacrifice and resistance contrasts sharply with the visible privileges of those in power.
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