SANTO DOMINGO.- Central Electoral Board president Julio Cesar Castaños Guzmán on Friday called Dominican society “hypocritical” and “which isn’t going anywhere,” and those who talk of democracy and justice from the political parties “Pharisees” who don’t practice what they preach even with their own family.

“This hypocritical society isn’t going anywhere. It’s normal to clean the edge of the glass, but swallow the filth. We must leave behind the Pharisaic, false attitude.

“Justice must be served with the conduct and life, not with words. There’s a ritual, false public conduct,” the top elections judge said.

Castaños recently called on lawmakers to suspend taking the extra money monthly from the sort of slush fund known as the "barrilito" (little barrel) until after the May 16 elections, a proposal which the presidents of the Senate Reinaldo Pared, and  the Chamber of Deputies, Julio Cesar Valentin both rejected, among others legislators.

The official spoke during the introduction of Inter-American Human Rights Institute director Roberto Cuéllar on Latin America electoral processes in the last few years.