Goya Foods: Hispanic brand faces boycott for praising Trump - BBC News

A popular Hispanic-owned food company is facing calls for a boycott, after its chief executive praised US President Donald Trump.

While at the White House, Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue said Mr Trump's leadership was a blessing.

On Thursday, Robert Unanue, the CEO of Goya Foods, attended an event at the White House where President Trump signed the Hispanic Prosperity Initiative, which was described as an effort to improve access to educational and economic opportunities.

Mr Unanue praised the president at the event, saying: "We're all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder.".

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, a New York lawmaker, tweeted that she would now learn how to make her own Adobo, a popular marinade in Hispanic cuisine, rather than buying it from Goya Foods.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro said Americans should "think twice before buying their products" given that their CEO had praised "a president who villainises and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain"

Supporters of the company have pointed out that earlier this year, Goya donated over 300,000lb (136,077kg) of food, or about 270,000 meals, to food banks and organisations to help with coronavirus relief

At Thursday's event, Mr Unanue announced he would also donate one million cans of Goya chickpeas and 1m lb of food products to food banks to help families hurt by the pandemic

Given the history of controversial statements by Donald Trump about Latinos, starting with his description of Mexican immigrants as "rapists", many will have been surprised by the praise he received from Goya Foods head Robert Unanue