Barria joined the Christian Democratic Party as a founder member while still at senior high school, and was for a time the victim of government persecution, but since the new regime came to power he has earned great respect for his business management skills and political influence.
早在高中時就加入基督民主黨、算是創始黨員的鄭道華，也曾受過軍政府的政治迫害，不過新政府上台後，鄭道華以他的企管專才及在黨內的影響力而備受重視。