New York Times Removes Captured Venezuelan Dictator From Year’s ‘Most Stylish’ List

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro holds a ceremonial sword said to have belonged to independence hero Simon Bolivar during a government-organized civic-military march in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

The New York Times originally included ousted Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro in their year’s “most stylish” list before quickly dropping him from the list, Page Six reported.

Maduro was included in the Times’ “39-ish Most Stylish People of 2026, So Far” from the paper’s Styles Desk, but the list now includes a note at the bottom explaining why Maduro was removed and partly explaining the choice to put the dictator and alleged drug trafficker on the list in the first place.

“This article has been updated to remove an entry on Nicolás Maduro,” the note reads. “Read our Styles story about how an image of him in a tracksuit became a meme.”

The message includes a link to a January article on President Donald Trump sharing an image of the captured Maduro, who is wearing grey sweats.

“The Sweatsuit Was Bound to Become a Meme,” the article’s headline reads.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are facing numerous federal charges related to alleged narco-terrorism. The pair were captured by U.S. forces during a January operation in Venezuela. Maduro was wearing his sweatsuit while being transported to Manhattan to face charges.

Maduro’s trial is expected to begin in New York on June 1, 2027.

Maduro originally shared space on the “most stylish” list along with some big celebrity names, like John Travolta, who has taken to proudly wearing berets after directing his first movie; former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who the Times said “looks like just another Instagram boyfriend” on musician Katy Perry’s social media feed; and Olympic gold medalist Eileen Gu, with the Times saying of the athlete: “The ribbon she often wears in her hair shows that Gu, one of the most decorated multi-hyphenates, has a playful side.”

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