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The article offers a close look at the Trump administration’s 2025 protectionist turn and its repercussions for Panama’s logistics apparatus—comprising the Panama Canal, the Colón Free Zone and the interoceanic railway—conceived as an interdependent system within hemispheric trade. Its aim is to show how this external shock reshaped cargo flows, raised supply-chain costs and challenged the country’s competitive position, while identifying the levers that turn crisis into opportunity. The research employs a document-based case study, synthesizing a hundred public reports, official data sets and academic literature. A comparative, thematic analysis—rooted in rigorous triangulation—tracks corporate and state decisions before, during and after the tariffs. Although costs rise and geopolitical uncertainty persists, Panama’s logistics ecosystem displays a stronger-than-expected response. The conclusion underscores that resilience is no accident: it stems from the blend of robust infrastructure, public–private coordination and strategic vision. Preserving that edge will require deeper market diversification and a commitment to higher valueadded logistics services that shield Panama from future protectionist waves.
