Trump name and staff removed from Trump towers

March 5th, 2018, videos circulated of police entering the Trump towers to remove staff from the Trump Organization and the Trump name being crow-barred off of the hotel’s front signage.

The is the third time the Trump brand has been removed from the sign. The footage of the clash is followed by a short song composed by the majority owner, Cypriot businessman Orestes Fintiklis, who played the piano and sang to celebrate “his success in gaining control of the hotel in Panama City from the Trump Organization.” 

While Fintiklis’ celebratory song has been heard throughout Panama, the building’s future remains uncertain and of course the situation a bit complex. 

’Trump’ name removed from the Trump Towers International Hotel, tower & Casino in Panama

Trump hotel Majority owner sings a song celebrating his victory on March 5th, 2018 

Trump vs. Fintiklis for control of Panama’s Trump Towers 

After buying 202 of the hotel’s 369 room units last year, and assuming control of the hotel’s condominium owners association, Fintiklis worked to removed the Trump Organization. His claim, that the management was “diving the hotel into the ground” gained the support of some residents. The Washington Post reported that Trump Panama condo owners say “their units have done even more poorly.” and that Fintiklis said, “in 58 units, the owners had lost so much money on rentals that they were refusing to pay their condo fees.” Fintiklis attributes the poor revenue to mismanagement and the Trump brand. 

In October Fintiklis sued the Trump Organization, seeking to fire the Trump Organization that currently holds a management contract running through 2031.  Following the legal accusations, confrontations broke out between the Trump staff and Fintiklis staff. But the confrontations ranging from shoving matches, police visits and power outages dissipated. 

Until Monday when a Panamanian legal official showed up with the National Police. The legal official left without comment, and while press pushed to determine exactly what had been said Fintiklis’ declaration of victory was heard. 

“Today, this dispute has been settled by the judges and the authorities of this country,” Fintiklis told reporters. He continues, “And now, as you guessed it, I will play the piano,” Fintiklis told the crowd of reporters. This is actually something Fintiklis has done before, but this time he played a traditional Greek song, “Accordeon,” an anti-fascist anthem, singing along to the song in Greek. 

However several news sources have reported that the Trump Organization, has disputed Fintiklis’ claimed defeat,  issuing a statement saying that the legal official had only “shifted control of the hotel to a third-party administrator”. 

“To date, there has been absolutely no determination whatsoever by any court or another tribunal as to the status” of the hotel, the company said in a statement from the Trump Organization’s executive vice president, Alan Garten.