Trump Staff Is Getting Evicted From The Trump Hotel In Panama — Here's What's Going On
Trump Organization staff is getting the boot from the Trump International Hotel in Panama. On Monday, police entered the tower to officially carry out an eviction that is the culmination of weeks of drama around the property. Here's what you need to know.
The Majority-Owner Of The Property Wants To Sever Ties With The Trump Organization Because Of Its Reputation
Last week, investor Orestes Fintiklis attempted to terminate the property's arrangement with the Trump Organization, who has been managing the hotel, firing 10 employees and trying to deliver termination notices. Trump employees refused to vacate the property and blocked Fintiklis' team from entering the offices. Fintiklis responded by cutting phone and power lines to the disputed space.
Originally, in the agreement signed with the original property owners 10 years ago, the Trump Organization was supposed to manage the property until 2031. When a majority of the units in the building were sold to Fintiklis last year, the Trump Organization reportedly attempted to secure an agreement stating that he would not challenge their management of the property. Where or not that happened is a matter of dispute.
Fintiklis says Trump Hotels has committed financial misconduct for years and now has an irreparable reputation in Latin America thanks to his political statements on immigration.
Finktiklis has filed a complaint in the US that alleges that the Trump Organization tried "to create a circus by threatening Plaintiffs (and others) with baseless fraud and conspiracy claims that entirely lack merit and have already been rejected by the Panamanian courts."
The Trump Organization Has Been Accused Of Mismanagement
Apart from its reputation problems and alleged misconduct, Finktiklis claims that poor management has cut into the building's profits. Finktiklis claims that during Panama's peak tourism season, the hotel only saw 30% occupancy, with the Trump Organization making $800,000 from the property in 2017 rather than what was projected in 2013 to be muli-millions.
In the last week, the hotel reportedly experienced a four-hour power outage and an extended water outage due to repairs.
Police Were Called To The Hotel Three Times Last Week As The Confrontation Turned Violent
As Fintiklis has attempted to take control of the building, the Trump Organization has physically resisted, resulting in police being called to the property four times over the last week.
In a video obtained by ABC, a man who is supposedly a Trump Hotel employee can be seen throwing another man down a hallway.
In a video from Monday, security staff are seen shoving a lawyer representing Finktiklis.
Now, It Appears As If Fintiklis Has Won
The Associated Press reports that after police arrived Monday, Trump Organization security left the building.
Fintiklis reportedly celebrated in the lobby shortly after by playing "Accordeon," a popular Greek song about fighting fascism, on the piano.
Later in the day, someone (presumably hotel staff) was recorded removing "TRUMP" lettering from the hotel's signage.
Other Properties Have Recently Dumped Trump
A wave of buildings have terminated their associations with the Trump Organization since Donald Trump's election, but many have proceeded through quiet, private settlements.
In late 2017, the Trump Organization and Trump SoHo hotel announced that they would terminate their management and licensing contract.
In 2016, the Trump name was removed from three New York City apartment buildings, under a "mutual" agreement, after residents petitioned the change.
At another New York property, however, the Trump Organization pushed back against the proposition of changing the name of the building, calling it a " breach of the license agreement," resulting in a lawsuit.
