The Dominican Council of Bishops said that it was “unacceptable” for certain political leaders to qualify the council’s public statements as “partisan,” as did Vicente Sanchez Baret, the dubious new president of the PRD last Sunday. The bishops said that interpreting their guidance as being partisan or prejudiced was something that was hurtful and offensive. The permanent council of the Conference of Bishops released a statement that read: “It is one thing to reject, consider or put into practice (what we preach), but that our intentions should be viewed as twisted is unacceptable.” The Dominican Catholic bishops answered their critics by saying, “If we had self-serving parties, we would be divided among ourselves.” The document goes on to say that the prelates are not making these statements to attack, but rather to council and seek a solution for the common good. With this in mind, they promised to emit public communiques whenever a diocesan or national situation warranted. When Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collado was questioned about the situation, he limited his comments to saying that what the country needs least at this time is a face-off between the Church and the government. He said that certain government officials resort to insults when they don’t have reason on their side.