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CV NEWS FEED // Goya Foods CEO Bob Unanue announced his unexpected removal as president and CEO after 20 years in the role, a move he says came without clear explanation.
A statement released Monday by PR Newswire revealed that Unanue was informed of a board vote regarding his employment but received no details on the decision’s rationale.
Unanue, who has been with the family-owned company for 48 years, is a prominent advocate against child trafficking. He served as an executive producer for the 2023 film “Sound of Freedom” and founded “Goya Cares,” an initiative “dedicated to combating child trafficking,” according to its mission statement.
“The uncertainty at Goya Foods will not deter me from making the world aware of the evils of child trafficking, and I will not rest until the over 325,000 children lost over the last 2 years are recovered,” Unanue said in a Monday statement.
“As in the past, I will work with the current administration in putting an end to the extremely lucrative but purely evil industry,” he continued. “I will not be silenced. I will not give in to those who want me to give up the fight. We cannot remain passive spectators while soulless, despicable animals treat children with callous indifference.”
The news comes just weeks after Unanue announced on “Fox & Friends” his plans to partner with Trump administration Border Czar Tom Homan to track down trafficked migrant children.
In a Jan. 26 interview on the show, posted to X, Unanue highlighted his efforts.
“We were involved in the movie ‘Sound of Freedom’ where we became aware of this tremendous evil of trafficking, and so, with that awareness we formed a coalition of different people, organizations, to raise awareness,” he said.
Referring to the Trump administration, Unanue added, “This administration who cares about our kids, they’re going to solve this.”
Unanue’s political stance has long made him a target of left-wing critics.
In 2020, he publicly praised President Donald Trump, saying, “We’re all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump.” The statement sparked outrage from progressives, including New York Democratic Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, who called for a boycott of Goya products.
Despite the backlash, Goya’s sales surged as conservatives rallied behind Unanue. A Cornell study revealed that “Goya’s net sales rose by about 22% during the two weeks after the controversy erupted.”
Goya’s board reportedly moved to silence Unanue in 2021 amid political pressure. A Goya shareholder told The New York Post at the time, “It will hurt the Unanue name and company if he continues. He should be thrown out as CEO.”
Unanue confirmed his removal Tuesday in a post on X, writing, “I recently received news that came as a big surprise: the board at Goya decided I would no longer be a leader of the company.”
“While the decision has left many questions unanswered, one thing is certain–I will not waver in my fight against child trafficking,” he added.
Public support for Unanue remains strong, with many users on X vowing to boycott Goya in response to his removal.
“We will fight alongside you my friend,” investigative reporter Sara Carter wrote. “You are a hero and American patriot. This news is shocking to me and everyone who knows you.”
