File photo: Products of Goya Foods Company seen on shelves of a supermarket.
A boycott of the Goya Foods Company takes off after CEO Robert Unanue appeared in the White House Rose Garden and praised President Donald Trump. Hashtag #Goyaway is trending on social media since July 10, 2020. Unanue said he will not apologize and called the movement suppression of speech. He also claimed a double standard in the reaction to his remarks about President Trump reminding that he did similar event with Michelle Obama in 2012.
When Ricardo Alvarado went grocery shopping this week, he had a list of items to buy, but he steered clear of anything from Goya Foods. “I was using their beans, but I found a different brand," he said. "I switched olive oil, too, and I bought my own spices, not theirs."
A performing artist based in New York City, Alvarado is boycotting Goya Foods. “As long as I’m helping my community, I will do my part. It’s important that we show unity and solidarity.”
The CEO of Goya Foods, Robert Unanue, plunged the company into turmoil last week when he praised President Donald Trump at an event announcing the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative. “We’re all truly blessed, at the same time, to have leader like President Trump who is a builder,” Unanue said. He compared the president to his grandfather, a Spanish immigrant who founded the company in 1936.
News of Unanue’s words spread quickly, and hashtags like #Goyaway and #BoycottGoya trended on social media.
For Alvarado, boycotting Goya Foods is personal. “I know the company employs a lot of Latinos and is very charitable,” he said, “but with everything that is going on with this administration and the border, the family separations and DACA, for Goya to step up and support him [Trump] for his work just blew my mind.”
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