At last, someone explains Castro’s tracksuits

As long as we keep seeing him in athletic gear — sort of the Latin American version of a retiree’s leisure suit — he is signaling that he will not retake the helm.”    

–Julia Sweig, Latin America expert at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, as quoted by Esteban Israel of Reuters

And here I was thinking that he’s been sweatin’ to the oldies all this time. But seriously, why not just say, “I will not retake the helm” and be done with it? 

The answer, according to expert tea-leaf reader Brian Latell, may be that Fidel is being sidelined by economic reformers allied with his brother Raul, and doesn’t want to retire for good. July 26 is the anniversary of Fidel’s last public appearance (TV doesn’t count), and he could don his old duds once again, Latell speculates:

Fidel and his ally Venezuelan president Chavez have recently made references to Fidel again donning his trademark olive green uniform. Since last July Fidel has only been seen in athletic clothes, and would never appear at a public event in such attire. In mid June Chavez told reporters during a visit to Havana that “Fidel has his uniform there and he looks out of the corner of his eye” at it. Perhaps learning first hand of Fidel’s intentions, he added, “I think we are approaching the hour when he will wear his military uniform again.”

On the other hand, Latell writes, Fidel may choose the occasion to officially announce his retirement. No more signaling with tracksuits. Stay tuned.