Goya Foods CEO and President Bob Unanue. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Latinx politicians Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Julián Castro and chef José Andrés decried Goya Foods CEO Bob Unanue after the executive spoke in support of President Trump on Thursday, saying, "We're all truly blessed" to have him as a leader.
Why it matters: Unanue's comments triggered a nationwide boycott among Latinos, the Washington Post reports. Goya is America’s largest Hispanic-owned food company, founded by Spanish merchants who emigrated to Puerto Rico and then moved to New York City in the 1930s.
The big picture: The Trump administration has led several combative and controversial immigration policies that have affected Latinx Americans and immigrants.
Background: Unanue's praises at the White House stemmed from an executive order Trump signed to improve Hispanic Americans' access to education and economic opportunities.
“We’re all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump who is a builder, 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 that we will continue to prosper and to grow.”
What they're saying:
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a retweet: "Oh look, it’s the sound of me Googling 'how to make your own Adobo.'”
- Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro: "@GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations. 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"
- Philanthropist and Spanish chef José Andrés: "Let’s be clear @GoyaFoods President Trump has left Latinos and many Americans hungry. Cages Latino Children. Has forgotten the Latino community through this pandemic. Has called Mexicans rapist. We are blessed? I think Latinos we are being mistreated....."