 Allen states that based on his research Escrivá could not be said to be "pro-Franco" (for which he was criticized for not joining other Catholics in openly praising Franco) nor "anti-Franco" (for which he was criticized for not being "pro-democracy").According to Allen, there is no statement from Escrivá for or against Franco.Escrivá's devotees and some historians have emphasized his personal effort to avoid partiality in politics.