Goya CEO Defies Mob, Declares 'Hell No! Hell No!' I Won't Apologize for Pro-Trump Comments
In recent years, leftist cancel culture has forced victims out of jobs and businesses for expressing conservative beliefs or support for President Donald Trump. Leftists have tried to destroy careers and livelihoods.
Some men and women have buckled under the pressure and apologized for conservative views shared by millions of Americans. A college football coach even apologized for wearing a T-shirt with a conservative news network’s logo while he was on a fishing trip.
Robert Unanue, the CEO of Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States, has refused to be a person who backs down for supporting the president.
On Thursday, Unanue appeared with Trump at the White House and praised the administration for its Hispanic Prosperity Initiative.
“We’re all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder,” Unanue said at the event.
“We have an incredible builder. And we pray,” he added. “We pray for our leadership, our president, and we pray for our country — that we will continue to prosper and to grow.”
Soon, left-wingers from Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda (who himself is facing radical leftist backlash for creating a musical that is positive about the Founding Fathers) called for a boycott of Goya products.
We learned to bake bread in this pandemic, we can learn to make our own adobo con pimienta. Bye. https://t.co/qKHNYfkqCq
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) July 10, 2020
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
The leftists tried to pressure Unanue with the social media boycott hashtag #goyaway and #BoycottGoya.
On Friday, Unanue appeared on “Fox & Friends” and described calls to boycott Goya products as “suppression of speech.” In that interview, he noted that during the Obama administration, he participated in events for President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama with no such backlash.
But it was on Friday evening during an interview with Laura Ingraham on “The Ingraham Angle” that he used his bluntest words about calls to apologize for praising Trump.
“The Goya brand is extremely iconic and it means something to every different ethnicity,” Unanue said during the interview. “That is very powerful. And that can’t be taken down, I don’t believe, in a moment.
“But the fact of the matter is, our country is very divided. I’m 66 years old, and I have been through a few decades, let’s say. And in my lifetime, I have never seen the country more unfortunately divided. I like the saying, ‘There are those who are born to love and build and others to hate and destroy.’ And unfortunately, there’s a movement of hatred and destruction.
“Who wants to see houses of worship burn? Businesses that people have put their whole life savings into. And to build a business and to only have people come along and destroy it. They have no right to do that. And we have to stand for prosperity. You know, we are the most prosperous country in the world.”
When Ingraham asked if he would be apologizing for standing next to President Trump, Unanue replied “Hell, no. Hell, no.”
The interview is here. Unanue’s “hell no” moment comes about the 4:15 mark.
Unanue’s spine of steel is paying off for the company.
In response to the boycott, radio host Mike Opelka came up with a Buy-cott encouraging Americans to purchase Goya products.
My brother came up with a terrific idea and I am encouraging all to join me in purchasing $10 worth of @GoyaFoods products and donating them to your local food bank. Let's push a BUY-cott, not a boycott. Let's show the #Goyaway people what compassion can do. https://t.co/SoHXRXHADG
— Mike Opelka (@stuntbrain) July 10, 2020
Trump himself tweeted “I LOVE @Goya Foods!”
I LOVE @GoyaFoods!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2020
Pro-Goya consumers have responded. For example, a Virginia man raised more than $100,000 to purchase Goya products and donate them to food pantries, according to MSN. Turning a boycott into a buy-cott with the president of the United States tweeting a love for your products is the best free marketing Unanue could have asked for.
The company itself has donated millions of pounds of food to the U.S. food banks, including 100,000 pounds to the New York City food bank. New Yorkers like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez should be showing gratitude to the company, not hostility.
Goya continues to work for the prosperity & education of our country! #GOYAGIVES two million pounds of food to food banks across the nation who are in desperate need of food for families impacted by COVID19. pic.twitter.com/ZUdxRUnpBl
— Goya Foods (@GoyaFoods) July 10, 2020
Too few leaders, whether in business, sports or Hollywood have shown the same guts as Goya’s CEO. Rare exceptions have included pro-Trump NFL coach Jack Del Rio who literally told his cancel culture critics to “Kiss my a**.”
Americans of any political persuasion need to feel free to peacefully voice their opinions without having their lives or livelihoods threatened. Watching celebrities and prominent leaders bow down to the mob again and again has had a chilling effect on political and cultural discourse in this country.
So three cheers for Robert Unanue. He stood by his principles and ought to be rewarded for it. It is gratifying to see somebody who’s not afraid to take a stand.
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