By Joshua
Keating
The Slate,
SEPT. 21 2015 1:06 PM
Cuban
former President Fidel Castro (R) talks with Pope Francis (L) as Castro's wife
Dalia Soto del Valle looks on in Havana, Cuba, September 20, 2015.
Photo by Alex
Castro/AIN via Reuters
If you
haven’t been following Fidel Castro’s odd post-presidency, you might have been
surprised to see the former Cuban leader wearing a blue Adidas tracksuit during
his meeting with Pope Francis on Sunday. You shouldn’t be. Since his
retirement, comfy athletic-wear has replaced military fatigues as the aging
revolutionary’s signature look.
He was
first shown wearing the outfit while still president, after recovering from
surgery in 2006. Since retiring in 2008, he has occasionally slipped back into
his old uniform for major public events, but by and large, has stuck to the
sporty grandpa look during his rare public appearances. It would have been much
more surprising if the atheist Castro had put on a suit and tie for his meeting
with the visiting pontiff. After all, Castro has worn his tracksuits, usually
over button-down shirts, to meet with visiting dignitaries including, Francis’s
predecessor, Benedict XVI, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping,
Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff, France’s Francois Hollande, and many others. Castro’s
protégé Hugo Chavez even got into the act, wearing a Venezuelan-flag patterned
tracksuit of his own to a meeting with his hero in 2011.
Castro has
a collection that includes Nike, Puma, Fila and Reebok, but Adidas seems to be
his favorite. A representative for the German sportswear manufacturertold the
New York Times in 2006 that the company views Castro’s endorsement as “not a
positive, not a negative.”
So why does
Castro dress like he’s on his way to a shuffleboard engagement when world
leaders come to pay a visit? There are a few possible explanations. The Marxist
ex-leader may view business-wear as a bit too bourgeois; he rarely wore suits
when he was in office with his drab olive fatigues symbolizing the continuing
revolutionary struggle.
It may be
something of a power play, making clear to foreign heads of state, many of whom
were young children when he took power, that he feels no obligation to get
dolled up for them when they come to pay their respects.
It may also
be a sign of respect to his little brother Raul, the current president. When
Fidel retired, many wondered if he would continue to exercise power behind the
scenes. The outfits send a signal that he is very much retired. (Raul also
keeps it pretty casual by world leader standards, but he did put on a suit and
tie to greet the pope.)
Or maybe
Fidel just likes to stay comfortable.
Joshua
Keating is a staff writer at Slate focusing on international affairs.
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