A hashtag encouraging people to boycott Goya Foods trended on Twitter after the company's CEO praised President Trump.
“We are all truly blessed ... to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder,” Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue said during a speech in the Rose Garden as part of the White House's Hispanic Prosperity Initiative. “We have an incredible builder, and we pray. We pray for our leadership, our president.”
The day after the speech, the hashtag #Goyaway was trending in support of an effort to boycott the company, which is the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States.
The hashtag was posted by several prominent Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro.
“.@GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations,” Castro tweeted. “Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain. Americans should think twice before buying their products. #Goyaway.”
.@GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations.
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) July 9, 2020
Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain. Americans should think twice before buying their products. #Goyaway https://t.co/lZDQlK6TcU
Ocasio-Cortez retweeted a call to refrain from buying Goya Foods and suggested she would start making certain foods from home instead of buying from Goya.
Oh look, it’s the sound of me Googling “how to make your own Adobo” https://t.co/YOScAcyAnC
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 10, 2020
"Goodbye Goya!" actor John Leguizamo tweeted. "You cant exploit us for profit than be against us latinx! #BoycottGoyaFoods"
Goodbye Goya! You cant exploit us for profit than be against us latinx! #BoycottGoyaFoods https://t.co/WR2JcS396n
— John Leguizamo (@JohnLeguizamo) July 10, 2020
Unanue went on Fox News on Friday morning and explained why he will not apologize for his comment, saying that he spoke at the White House during President Barack Obama’s tenure.
The radical left is trying to "cancel" the CEO of Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic-owned food business in the country, because he praised @RealDonaldTrump at yesterday's event focusing on Hispanic opportunity.
— Trump War Room - Text TRUMP to 88022 (@TrumpWarRoom) July 10, 2020
Watch him explain why he won't apologize! pic.twitter.com/MjZkFGA2z8