JUNE 2026 – W.26
Andean South America
ACTION
Cancel or delay travel through Simón Bolivar (CCS/SMR) while emergency management evaluates damage
WHY IT MATTERS
Non-essential travel likely to be suspended during initial stages of recovery.
Seismic Summer
Venezuela earthquake toll has not yet been calculated, but includes the closure of Simón Bolívar International Airport
Travel Disruption
Operational & Logistics
Regulatory
Health Security
Digital Identity / Privacy
Border & Entry Risk
Civil Unrest / Security
Regional Escalation
Western/ Northern Europe
ACTION
Check local hotels / temporary housing before traveling to verify amenities
WHY IT MATTERS
Many European nations are not prepared for record-breaking heat, including cooling centers, air conditioned residences, and national heat injury awareness.
The Heat is En
Record temperatures persist in areas of France, the UK, and Spain that do not traditionally have air conditioning installed many buildings.
Regional Escalation
Travel Disruption
Operational & Logistics
Regulatory
Health Security
Digital Identity / Privacy
Border & Entry Risk
Civil Unrest / Security
northeast asia
ACTION
Verify flight and other transportation schedules prior to travel, plan for additional cyclone-precipitated cancellations/delays.
WHY IT MATTERS
Widespread travel service disruptions expected to continue for several days.
Typhoonery
In western and central Japan flights and public transportation delays occurring as Typhoon number 7 approaches.
Regulatory
Travel Disruption
Operational & Logistics
Health Security
Digital Identity / Privacy
Border & Entry Risk
Civil Unrest / Security
Regional Escalation
East Asia
ACTION
Consider the digital profile other nations may view, collect, and react to when posting on social media and websites.
WHY IT MATTERS
Likelihood of additional visa red tape and scrutiny on identity documents and electronics when traveling through the area in the next 18 months.
An Iron Sea
US and China are shaping cold war-esque positions in the South China Sea with arms deals, land-ownership disputes, political maneuvering, and increased military presence.
Travel Disruption
Operational & Logistics
Regulatory
Health Security
Digital Identity / Privacy
Border & Entry Risk
Civil Unrest / Security
Regional Escalation
Established in 2015 by former special operations and intelligence professionals. Merrill Herzog is the world's preeminent security risk advisory and crisis response firm.
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Force Majeure
Transnational criminal organizations gain fiscal and coercive leverage by impersonation.
WHY IT MATTERS
Global dispute and conflict groups capitalize on accessible media and information to pinpoint target vulnerable travelers.
“Criminal networks and militant groups have recognized the pattern and adapted accordingly. They are shifting from opportunistic kidnappings to the deliberate targeting of individuals, mimicking the effects of state-driven detention without needing any of the formal state apparatus. The result is a convergence where criminal and politically motivated detention operate on the same logic: detain, generate attention, force engagement, and extract value.”
Sharbil Nammour - Partner
ACTION
Work with risk specialists prior to travel to or through regions held by groups with known pattern of using kidnapping tactics.