After the U.S. strike on Venezuela, a photo of Nicolás Maduro in U.S. custody went viral, sparking interest in his outfit. He was wearing a Nike Tech fleece sweatsuit, leading to a surge in search volume for the particular outfit.
Millions of people were already following the news after the Venezuelan president and his wife were captured. Now, Maduro’s outfit has made him an accidental fashion influencer, with people buying the tracksuit online as well as in retail stores. It has sold out in several sizes since his arrest. It’s not a cheap suit either; the set costs over $200 and resembles classic loungewear.
According to Google Trends, searches for the outfit increased by 72% after Trump shared Maduro’s photo. People have also been leaving humorous reviews for the tracksuit. One person said it is “what criminals wear,” while others joked that it is a comfortable outfit to wear when being invaded by the U.S.
Plies speaks on Venezuelan president Marudo being arrested wearing Nike Tech:
“The Nike tech suit wasn’t by accident it was to suggest that’s what criminals wear” pic.twitter.com/c8UsqevJDH
— SAY CHEESE! 👄🧀 (@SaycheeseDGTL) January 5, 2026
The second user added that it’s a good outfit to stay warm on a Black Hawk helicopter. Another suggested it could be their next Halloween costume and that they are already preparing in advance. There are more theories about the brand, and now Maduro is making it famous.
One user posted, “Apple $AAPL CEO Tim Cook bought $3 million of Nike $NKE stock last week. Nicolás Maduro was captured yesterday wearing Nike Tech. Coincidence? I think not.” However, it appears to be a coincidence: Cook bought the shares when the price was low, and Maduro was captured afterward. The two incidents are not connected.
Google searches for Nike Techs are surging after Venezuelan leader Nicolàs Maduro was arrested wearing a full Nike Tech fleece pic.twitter.com/D59NqUMOUU
— Complex Style (@ComplexStyle) January 4, 2026
So far, Maduro has pleaded not guilty to the drug trafficking charges. 63-year-old Maduro is being held at the Brooklyn detention center. He told the judge that he and his wife had been kidnapped. He claimed that he is still the president of Venezuela and called himself a “decent man.”
Meanwhile, the Trump administration will be overlooking Venezuela and its oil operations. Venezuela declared VP Delcy Rodríguez as the interim president while also demanding Maduro’s release. The UN, as well as Russia, has criticized the US for striking Venezuela, hoping he’ll return to his country soon.
