Governments that suspended flights or warned citizens against travelling cite a combination of security concerns, institutional breakdown, and unpredictable diplomatic tensions.

Since early September, the U.S. government has been carrying out airstrikes on vessels it claims are drug-running boats from Venezuela and other Latin American countries, actions that Democrats, legal scholars and human rights groups have criticised as extrajudicial killings.

On Thursday, November 27, Trump again warned that he is prepared to expand those strikes to targets on land.

"The land is easier, but that's going to start very soon," Trump told reporters.

Maduro also accused the U.S. in a televised address in October of openly authorising CIA operations to topple his government, calling the move “unprecedented” in modern history.

“The U.S.  government  has decided to send the CIA to Venezuela,” Maduro said in the televised address reported by Viory. “They want to frighten, divide, and demoralise our people. But our people are clear, united, with millions of eyes and ears. We will defeat this conspiracy again.”

A relationship built on confrontation

Tensions between Trump and Maduro date back to 2017, when the White House imposed sweeping sanctions on Venezuelan officials, state-run oil company PDVSA, and the government’s financial networks in a bid to force democratic reforms.

The sanctions accelerated Venezuela’s economic collapse, restricting its access to global capital markets and worsening shortages of fuel, medicine and basic goods.

By early 2019, the Trump administration recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate interim president, triggering a rupture in diplomatic relations. Caracas expelled U.S. diplomats and accused Washington of orchestrating a coup.

As the political crisis intensified, Venezuela’s aviation system deteriorated further, prompting the U.S. decision to halt all flights that year.

Despite a brief easing of sanctions under President Joe Biden in 2023–24, Washington reinstated many restrictions after disagreements over electoral guarantees.

By the time Trump re-emerged as a central political figure in 2025, the relationship had once again become combustible.

Airlines began withdrawing voluntarily years before official bans, citing unpaid debts, unsafe airport conditions, and rising crime around transit hubs. Carriers from Colombia, Brazil, and several European countries reduced their routes long before the current wave of political restrictions.

Today’s bans come against a backdrop of continued concerns over Venezuela’s regulatory oversight, reports of airport corruption, and frequent nationwide blackouts that disrupt aviation systems. Several governments warn that deteriorating security and infrastructure make travel too risky for citizens or airline crews.

Somalia’s political landscape is intensifying ahead of the upcoming Banadir Regional Local Council elections, with the Madalsan Political Association taking its campaign directly to communities in Mogadishu. During a major rally in the Yakshid district, party officials promised to prioritise improvements in healthcare, education and sanitation — three issues repeatedly raised by residents. The rally marks a broader surge of political activity across the capital as competing groups attempt to consolidate support before the vote.

East African Legislative Assembly

In a significant legal development, the East African Court of Justice has reinstated Somalia’s nine delegates to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). Their suspension earlier this year had sparked controversy after critics accused the Somali government of engineering a non-transparent selection process. The court ruling brings an end to months of uncertainty and allows the delegates to resume their duties at the regional parliament.

Militant groups

A new report by the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies (ACSS) has raised alarms about Somalia’s deteriorating security environment, warning that Al-Shabaab is making renewed advances toward Mogadishu. Analysts argue that the country’s federal structure is weakening due to internal divisions, slow reforms and inconsistent military coordination. These vulnerabilities, the report says, are enabling the militant group to reclaim territory and expand its influence across central and southern Somalia.

Internal political strife

A separate assessment paints an even more dire picture, warning that Al-Shabaab’s seizure of Mogadishu could be “only a matter of time” if current trends continue. Citing the federal government’s internal political strife, stalled stabilisation efforts and persistent insurgent attacks, experts argue that the group’s momentum is growing faster than the state’s ability to counter it. The report has reignited debate over Somalia’s political cohesion and the future of its national security strategy.

Millions face hunger

Somalia has declared a national drought emergency after months of failed rains. The drought has devastated crops and livestock, leaving many communities without food or water. According to humanitarian agencies, malnutrition rates are rising, especially among children, and millions now face urgent needs. The crisis is particularly severe in Puntland, Somaliland and central Somalia. Former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has issued a public plea, calling on Somalis at home and abroad to mobilize support for affected families as international aid continues to shrink.

Opening his remarks with reference to the June conflict between Iran and Israel, Khamenei acknowledged Iranian losses but framed them as part of the reality of war. “Yes, we have suffered losses, dear lives have been lost — there is no doubt about that. This is the nature of war… But the Islamic Republic has shown that the centre of will and power can make decisions and stand powerfully,” he stated.

Khamenei went on to accuse the United States of fuelling instability across the globe. “For the sake of oil and underground resources, they are willing to ignite wars anywhere in the world. Today, this warmongering has reached Latin America ,” he said, adding that Iran has no interest in aligning with governments backed by U.S. influence.

He further argued that U.S. policies were pushing Washington into deeper international isolation. “Even if the presidents of some countries flatter it, among nations, America becomes more hated day by day. Wherever it has intervened, it has led to warmongering, genocide, destruction or displacement,” he said.

Khamenei’s comments come months after U.S. airstrikes targeted Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites during a 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel.