Robert Unanue is CEO of Goya Foods, America’s largest Hispanic-owned food company. After he complimented President Donald Trump at a press conference from the Rose Garden yesterday, leftist activists are now coming after the company hoping to “cancel” it with boycotts.
“We’re all truly blessed… to have a leader like President Trump who is a builder,” Unanue said. “And that’s what my grandfather did. He came to this country to build, to grow, to prosper. And so, we have an incredible builder and we pray for our leadership, our president and we pray for our country.”
“Our company was founded in 1936 by my grandfather who left Spain at only 18-years-old. He did not know where he was heading, but he was heading and looking for opportunity and prosperity and he found it in this great country,” Unanue said.
Unanue made the comments after the president announced that he was signing an executive order on the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative to promote educational and economic opportunities for Hispanic Americans.
The company emphasizes a family atmosphere and refers to its employees as The Grand Familia Goya (The Great Goya Family).
At the press conference, Unanue announced that The Grand Familia Goya was donating one million cans of Goya chickpeas and one million pounds of food to food banks around the country to help those suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic. “These are all products that are made in the United States, [with cans made of] steel from the United States,” he said.
“We are committed to our country and the need to give back because it is the right thing to do,” Unanue said in a press release provided to The Daily Citizen.
Some of the outrage at Unanue’s comments have occurred because he allegedly supports President Trump, who detractors classify as a “racist.”
However, in an interview with The Daily Citizen, a spokesperson for Goya Foods noted the absurdity of the idea that their company would support racism.
“We are a company founded by immigrants, and nearly 85% of our company is Hispanic,” the spokesperson said
Touting the company’s long record of charitable giving, the spokesperson also said, “We’ll be celebrating our 85th anniversary next year. And part of our DNA has always been to give back. When we celebrated our 75th anniversary back in 2011, we gave away 1 million pounds of food in one day. We give to cultural events, sports events, and parades. We support our community through giving.”
The spokesperson stated that the company has worked with presidential administrations from both parties over the years to support Americans.
Indeed, the company previously partnered with First Lady Michelle Obama and was recognized by the Obama Administration for helping to promote healthy eating among the Hispanic community through its MyPlate / MiPlato cookbook.
According to CNN, following Thursday’s press conference, the hashtag #Goyaway was trending on Twitter.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., expressing her support for the boycott on Twitter, wrote, “Oh look, it’s the sound of me Googling ‘how to make your own Adobo.’”
Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary and Democrat presidential contender Julián Castro wrote on Twitter that even though Goya Foods had been a staple in Latino households, Americans should no longer buy their products.
Focus President Jim Daly addressed the controversy on Twitter: “@GoyaFoods announced the donation of 1 million pounds of life-saving food to food banks around the US & is now facing a boycott. Why? Because the CEO said something positive about @realDonaldTrump. This must stop. Support free speech, end cancel culture & go #BuyGoya products today.”
It’s ironic that this attempt to cancel Goya Foods comes just days after 153 prominent liberals signed a letter warning against the corrosive effects of cancel culture.
In an interview on Fox News Friday morning, Unanue said he wasn’t bowing to the pressure from cancel culture. “It’s suppression of speech… I’m not apologizing for saying what I said.”
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