KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- The datasurfr and MitKat monthly forecast expects November 2026 to bring operational and security challenges across the Americas, driven mainly by political events, labour action, major public events and transport disruption.
- The key dates are the US midterm elections on 3 November, a nationwide public-sector and labour strike in Colombia on 11 November, a 72-hour national freight strike in Peru from 16 to 18 November, Formula 1 in Las Vegas from 19 to 21 November, US Thanksgiving on 26 November, and Ecuador’s sub-national elections on 29 November.
- Runway restrictions at Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza airport run until 11 November. Carried over from October are the critical PHP vulnerabilities disclosed on 21 October, recovery from Hurricane Isaias, California wildfires, Mexico’s storm damage, Air Canada’s route cuts and a US suspension of PERM green card filings for eight IT firms.
- The report also flags the Russia-Ukraine war and the US-Iran conflict as Very High risk for shipping, energy and travel.
This summary draws on the monthly forecast produced by datasurfr and MitKat. Political and labour disputes are contested, so demands are attributed to the groups making them and risk ratings are the report’s own assessments of operational impact, not predictions.
What are the main risks in the Americas in November 2026?
The report groups the month into political events (US and Ecuador elections), labour action (Colombia and Peru), large public events (F1 Las Vegas, the Grand Prix of South America rally, Thanksgiving), transport restrictions in Buenos Aires, and the after-effects of October’s disasters and cyber incident. On the event calendar, most public holidays are rated Low, while the Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Hamas and US-Iran crises are rated Very High.
What should businesses expect around the US midterm elections on 3 November?
All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are being contested, along with 39 governorships, state legislative and judicial races and ballot measures. Election Day is not a federal holiday, so federal offices, banks, markets and most businesses should operate normally. Some schools may close or change schedules if used as polling sites, and libraries and community centres may restrict access. The report expects localised traffic and parking constraints near polling stations in commuting hours, normal public transport and toll operations, and possible further rallies in major cities in the final campaign days. The 17 October “No Kings: Vote Early” demonstrations drew events in all 50 states, but the report found no widespread disruption to essential services.
Where are strikes and travel disruption expected?
In Colombia, the CUT union and teachers’ federation FECODE are expected to lead a nationwide public-sector strike on 11 November over employment conditions, workers’ rights and public services, with congestion, road closures, service delays and absenteeism likely in Bogotá, Medellín and Cali. In Peru, the CGTCP freight carriers’ group has called a 72-hour strike from 16 to 18 November over fuel prices, a reference tariff, vehicle weight enforcement and drivers’ conditions. A regional strike in Arequipa is only under consideration and is not confirmed. At Ezeiza airport in Buenos Aires, a single shortened runway is in use until 11 November, so long-haul and wide-body flights face cancellations, schedule changes and technical stops.
What is happening in Ecuador, and what about the Grand Prix of South America?
Ecuador votes on 29 November for more than 5,700 local authorities, with about 13.8 million voters. The campaign runs from 12 to 26 November, electoral silence starts on 27 November, and a dry law will apply. Heightened security is expected in coastal provinces such as Guayas and Manabí, with possible checkpoints and movement restrictions. Separately, the Bespoke Rallies classic-car event crosses Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia from 4 November, with only localised traffic effects expected and no confirmed road closures.
Which major events and holidays will affect US operations?
Thanksgiving on 26 November will close federal and state offices, courts, banks, schools and USPS facilities, with road congestion peaking on 25 and 29 November, reduced public transit and parade-related closures in New York City, Philadelphia, Detroit and Chicago. Black Friday falls on 27 November and Cyber Monday on 30 November. The Las Vegas Grand Prix will bring road closures and strained transport along the Strip. Remembrance Day (Canada) and Veterans Day (US) both fall on 11 November.
Which October events still matter in November?
Critical PHP vulnerabilities disclosed on 21 October forced some government and business sites offline, and the report warns of a second wave of attacks on unpatched systems; about 1.5 million of 2.6 million hosts were reported running a version with no fix at the time. Hurricane Isaias hit Florida’s Panhandle on 9 October, with about 95 percent of customers restored by mid-October. A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Panama on the same day, though the Panama Canal was confirmed operational. California has seen active wildfires and power shutoffs, Hurricane Simon and Tropical Storm Rachel disrupted Mexico’s Pacific ports, Air Canada cancelled 14 routes, and the US suspended PERM filings for eight IT firms.
What should businesses and travellers do?
The report advises confirming flight schedules (especially through Ezeiza), reviewing alternative freight routes for Peru, monitoring election-related demonstrations and security restrictions, and planning for absenteeism and service disruption on strike days. It also recommends auditing PHP versions and plugins, verifying patches before restoring services, and watching official advisories, transport operators and regional security developments.
Frequently asked questions
Is the US Election Day a public holiday?
No. The report says it is not a federal holiday, so most businesses and government services should operate normally.
When is the Peru freight strike?
The CGTCP has announced a 72-hour national strike from 16 to 18 November, and the report notes no official government response had been reported.
Are the Colombia and Peru strikes confirmed?
They are announced or anticipated; the Arequipa regional strike in Peru is only under consideration and should not be treated as confirmed.
When does Ezeiza airport return to normal?
The runway works run from 25 October to 11 November.
Download the full report now
The full Americas Monthly Risk Forecast includes the complete November event calendar, country-by-country analysis, October’s high-impact developments and the escalation snapshot on Russia-Ukraine and the Middle East. Download the full report now to brief your travel, security and supply-chain teams.
Filed under: AmericasRegional Risk Reviews
