Panama Hotel Owner, Declaring Victory, Has Trump’s Name Removed
- 6 years ago
Panama Hotel Owner, Declaring Victory, Has Trump’s Name Removed
By KIRK SEMPLE, STEVE EDER and BEN PROTESSMARCH 5, 2018
PANAMA CITY — The majority owner of the Trump International Hotel
and Tower declared victory here in Panama City on Monday in his battle to oust the American president’s family business from the property, its only current hotel venture in Latin America.
After he arrived at the hotel with a contingent of court officials
and national police officers — and a Panamanian court ruling in his favor — Mr. Fintiklis ejected the Trump Organization, which had held a long-term contract to manage the property.
Still, Mr. Fintiklis acted as though he had won the battle after a 11-day standoff
that has been playing out behind the scenes in Panamanian courtrooms and ministry offices as well as in plain sight at the hotel’s lobby.
It became the arena for the ownership dispute, punctuated by yelling
and shoving matches, appearances by armed police and visits by government delegations, including Panamanian labor regulators, forensic specialists and a justice of the peace.
" Mr. Fintiklis said in a brief impromptu news conference in the hotel’s lobby.
that This is a purely commercial dispute that just spun out of control,
Mr. Fintiklis, a Cypriot citizen, then strode to the lobby’s baby grand piano
and played and sang "Accordeon," a popular Greek song about the fight against Fascism.
It became the latest property around the world to lose the Trump name since the 2016 election.
By KIRK SEMPLE, STEVE EDER and BEN PROTESSMARCH 5, 2018
PANAMA CITY — The majority owner of the Trump International Hotel
and Tower declared victory here in Panama City on Monday in his battle to oust the American president’s family business from the property, its only current hotel venture in Latin America.
After he arrived at the hotel with a contingent of court officials
and national police officers — and a Panamanian court ruling in his favor — Mr. Fintiklis ejected the Trump Organization, which had held a long-term contract to manage the property.
Still, Mr. Fintiklis acted as though he had won the battle after a 11-day standoff
that has been playing out behind the scenes in Panamanian courtrooms and ministry offices as well as in plain sight at the hotel’s lobby.
It became the arena for the ownership dispute, punctuated by yelling
and shoving matches, appearances by armed police and visits by government delegations, including Panamanian labor regulators, forensic specialists and a justice of the peace.
" Mr. Fintiklis said in a brief impromptu news conference in the hotel’s lobby.
that This is a purely commercial dispute that just spun out of control,
Mr. Fintiklis, a Cypriot citizen, then strode to the lobby’s baby grand piano
and played and sang "Accordeon," a popular Greek song about the fight against Fascism.
It became the latest property around the world to lose the Trump name since the 2016 election.