Former presidential candidate Julián Castro is pushing for a public boycott of Goya Foods to punish the company's CEO for praising President Donald Trump.
"@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," Castro tweeted.
.@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 https://t.co/lZDQlK6TcU
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) July 9, 2020
His brother, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D., Texas), used the same "think twice" language in August when he defended his decision to tweet out the names and employers of Trump supporters in San Antonio and accused them of "fueling a campaign of hate." The congressman, who also served as chairman of his brother's campaign, denied he was encouraging intimidation of Trump supporters.
"I hope donors in San Antonio and donors throughout the country, unless you support the white nationalism and the racism that Donald Trump is paying for and fueling, then I hope that you, as a person of good conscience, will think twice about contributing to his campaign," he said on MSNBC's Morning Joe.
Sad to see so many San Antonians as 2019 maximum donors to Donald Trump — the owner of @BillMillerBarBQ, owner of the @HistoricPearl, realtor Phyllis Browning, etc.
Their contributions are fueling a campaign of hate that labels Hispanic immigrants as ‘invaders.’ pic.twitter.com/YT85IBF19u
— Joaquin Castro (@Castro4Congress) August 6, 2019
Unanue, a third-generation Spanish-American, drew liberal ire Thursday after saying in the Rose Garden that "we're all truly blessed" to have Trump in office. He was invited to the White House to help mark Trump's Hispanic Prosperity Initiative, an executive order intended to improve Hispanic access to educational and economic opportunities.
Julián Castro has since retweeted other figures announcing their intention to boycott Goya, including actor Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) also encouraged a boycott on social media, tweeting, "Oh look, it's the sound of me Googling 'how to make your own Adobo.'"
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
Unanue called the boycott efforts a "suppression of speech." He noted to Fox News he accepted an invitation in 2012 from the Obama White House to mark Hispanic Heritage Month without any backlash.
"So, you’re allowed to talk good or to praise one president, but you’re not allowed to aid in economic and educational prosperity? And you make a positive comment, all of a sudden, that's not acceptable," he said.