Trump hotels asked Panama’s president for help in dispute

The Trump family’s hotel business asked Panama’s president for help in their battle to retain control of a property in Panama before an emergency arbitrator said they would not be granted control of the hotel, according to The Associated Press.

The law firm representing the Trump Organization sent a letter to Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela on March 22 that asked him to intervene in the battle for control of the hotel and warned that there could be consequences for the country, the AP reported.

{mosads}In the letter obtained by the AP, the Trump Organization says that “damages are attributed not to the other party, but to the Panamanian government,” suggesting that the Panamanian government could be held responsible for the dispute.

The Trump Organization did not respond to questions from the AP about whether President Trump knew about the letter.

In February, one of the hotel’s majority owners tried to fire the Trump management team running the hotel and take control of the property for the group of the hotel’s owners.

The Trump family increased security and worked to prevent the owner from entering the property, but a court sided with the owner on March 5. Police officials then ordered the Trump team to leave the hotel.

In late March, a U.S. arbitrator declined to reinstate the hotel’s previous management despite ruling that the Trump team should not have been evicted from the property.

Panama’s foreign secretary, Isabel de Saint Malo, told the AP on Monday that Panama’s executive branch does not have the power to interfere with the judicial branch.