Maduro capture-inspired fashion? Marco Rubio spotted in similar Nike tracksuit

“Secretary Rubio rocking the Nike Tech ‘Venezuela’ on Air Force One!” one user wrote on X after Marco Rubio went viral on social media on Tuesday. Rubio was seen aboard Air Force One en route to China along with US President Donald Trump.

Users linked Rubio’s Nike Tech tracksuit to deposed Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. The image quickly circulated online after users pointed out that Maduro had been photographed in what was described as the same model tracksuit following his capture by US forces in early January.

The renewed interest in the outfit came after White House communications director Steven Cheung posted a photograph of the US State Secretary travelling to China in a matching grey tracksuit. “He is ‘Maduromaxxing’,” another user pointed out.

In a post on X, White House communications director Steven Cheung wrote, “Secretary Rubio rocking the Nike Tech ‘Venezuela’ on Air Force One!” The image of Rubio followed earlier photographs shared by President Donald Trump showing Nicolas Maduro handcuffed and blindfolded in Nike Tech sweats after a weekend raid in which the ousted Venezuelan leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by US forces and flown to the United States in the first week of January.

According to images and posts that circulated online, Nicolas Maduro was wearing a grey Nike Tech tracksuit when he was taken into custody at the start of the year.

Hours after the capture, Trump posted a photo of Maduro in the outfit, and social media users began claiming that the tracksuit had sold out because of the attention generated by the now-viral image. The posts also noted that Maduro wears size 3XL.

Posts about Maduro’s clothing also focused on other items he was seen wearing. These included a Wanme sleep mask priced at $6 and a Flintronic anti-noise ear protector priced at $11.

As the image spread widely, reactions on social media were mixed. Some users joked that the look would make an ideal Halloween costume, while others pointed to a rise in Google searches for the Nike Tech fleece. One user wrote, “This is absolutely savage. Well done sir,” while another said, “I’m trying to get that fit.”

A different X user posted, “Nike just dropped the most exclusive Maduro collection yet,” and another wrote, “This was the moment when Nike was recorded in history.”

Another clothing brand, Origin USA, also drew attention after Maduro was photographed in one of its blue hoodies after being brought to the US.

The company, co-founded by author and podcaster Jocko Willink, said the item was sold out and available only on pre-order. In a post on X alongside a picture of Maduro, the company wrote, “Welcome to America. Unfortunately, our ‘Patriot Blue’ RTX shirt won’t be shipping ’till spring. But they are available for Pre-order.”

That post also prompted more comments online. One user asked the company, “would you say your hoodies are Madurable?” Another wrote, “he looks happy lol, must be a comfy shirt!”, while one more commented, “Welcome to the USA maduro. As a Venezuelan American, I need like 10 of these shirts.”

Maduro’s arrest also reminded many social media users of another Latin American leader associated with tracksuits, the late Fidel Castro.

While Castro was known for wearing military uniforms earlier in his rule, he later came to favour Adidas athleisure wear. Rubio’s appearance in the Nike outfit, together with the earlier photographs of Maduro, kept the focus on a clothing detail that became one of the most discussed parts of the wider episode.

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