# Maduro, Venezuela, the Drug War—Best Policy Is to Legalize All Prohibited Drugs 

January 6, 2026 • News Releases 

In a new [blog post](https://www.cato.org/blog/maduro-venezuela-drug-war), Cato Institute Vice President of Research, [Jeffrey Miron](https://www.cato.org/people/jeffrey-miron), examines the Trump administration’s claims about Nicolás Maduro and the drug trade and notes that “any disruption of the Venezuelan black market will likely exacerbate the adverse impacts of underground markets.”

He argues that the real problem isn’t foreign leaders, but rather prohibition itself: “The right policy is for the US to legalize all currently prohibited drugs. This will eliminate underground drug markets, which are the real reason for most adverse consequences typically attributed to drugs.”

If you’d like to speak with Miron, feel free to reach out to Emily at [esalamon@​cato.​org](mailto:esalamon@cato.org).

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