Second Lady Says Fernando Lugo Fathered Her Child

ASUNCION, Paraguay, April 21, 2009— -- The president of Paraguay, who had already shocked his nation, and even the world, by confessing he had fathered a child with a young girl out of wedlock when he was a bishop, is facing a new paternity accusation.

The scandal may be more shocking than most to rock the political world because President Fernando Lugo was, at the time of the affair, a Catholic bishop and both of the young women were members of his flock.

Benigna Leguizamón, 27, on Monday claimed she has a 6-year-old son with the former bishop. The president responded to the claim by issuing a short statement saying that he was going to act "in line with the truth."

Lugo came to power on a wave of optimism, promising to clean up politics and bring a brighter future to the country.

It was a significant victory. Lugo ousted a party that had been in power for 61 years and his ticket was promising "power to the people."

Then last week, eight months into his government Lugo, the former bishop of San Pedro, shocked both friends and foes by publicly announcing that he was the father of a 2-year-old boy.

"Before my people, before my conscience, and as show of respect to everyone who has trusted me, I express with the utmost honesty, transparency and sense of duty that the relationship with Viviana Carrillo took place. I take on all the responsibility, admitting fatherhood to the child," Lugo said in a public statement.

The more details that came out, the more shocking the situation appeared. According to Carrillo, the child's mother, the former bishop had been engaged in a sexual relation with her for the last 10 years, since she was only 16.

Under Paraguayan law, a sexual relation with a minor between 14 and 16 is an offense, described as sexual abuse and punishable by a fine.

Nobody Will Believe You

Carrillo also described how the bishop seduced her with kind words and made her all sorts of promises, but once the baby was born he backed off.

A cousin of Carrillo's, Walter Acosta, one of the lawyers who initially represented her in court told ABC News that he thinks the young woman was forced into court by Lugo's behavior.

According to Acosta, after supporting her during and after her pregnancy, Lugo then began avoiding her, saying that his political enemies would use their son to attack him.

"The case was very simple, and it would have been easy to settle amicably, but the president was ill advised," Acosta said. "He was so arrogant that he accused us of trying to attack him and dared us to proceed, saying through his legal representative that 'Nobody will believe you.'"

Despite the president's threats, Acosta said he was determined to press on with his cousin's case.

The day suit filed by Acosta against Lugo was made public, Carrillo issued a statement saying she had not authorized it.

"Even after Viviana was forced to back down, we decided to carry on," Acosta said. "We knew that eventually Fernando Lugo would have to submit his DNA and that we would have been proved right."

How Did the Affair Begin?

Carrillo has refused to talk publicly about the affair, but according to some of her close relatives, Lugo was a friend of the family who had known the young woman for a long time.

They deny, however, Carrillo's claims that Lugo seduced her when she was just 16.

"Viviana always knew what she was doing. She is firm and determined," one of Carrillo's cousins, who wished to remain anonymous, told ABC News.

Her close-knit family were not keen on going into details of the affair.

"She is also a very positive person, with her feet on the ground. When she feels ready, she will tell her story herself," the cousin said, and she apologized for not being able to give out any more information.

"They are both adults, so we will let them tell their own story," an aunt told ABC News. She said she was saddened by the way the story became public.

The cousing also denied Carrillo's claim that she was abandoned by her family after the affair.

"We are a small and hard working family, scattered around the country, but we are very close," the cousin said.

'I Was Never The Ideal Bishop'

After the president's announcement, the Catholic Church publicly expressed its disappointment, issuing a statement asking the Paraguayan people for forgiveness "for the sins committed by its members."

Lugo, however, was released from his religious responsibilities in July 2008, when the Vatican declared "the loss of his clerical condition."

This came after Lugo had decided to swap politics for the cloth. In January 2005, he had made another surprising announcement -- that of his resignation as bishop of San Pedro.

"I was never the ideal bishop," he admitted in a radio interview at the time.

Soon afterwards, he entered the political arena and quickly became a leading figure.

Will His Popularity Survive This Confession?

After his fatherhood confession, Lugo's political opponents were, of course, ready to fire their attacks. Some called for his resignation and others threatened him with impeachment.

"The president has called our party members corrupt," Colorado party president Lilian Samaniegosaid. "But he has failed the country, proving that he is a liar."

"He is not brave, he is a coward. His confession came only after the story was made public by the child's mother," said Blanca Ovelar, a former Colorado party presidential candidate.

But in spite of the scandal, the president's popularity seems to have survived unscathed. Several polls taken after his confession confirmed Fernando Lugo's public support.

At the time, female members of Lugo's cabinet, including the ministers of women's affairs and of children's rights, were quick to applaud his stance, saying that he was setting a good example to men who do not take responsibility for their children.

After the new claim today, Women's Minister Gloria Rubin asked Lugo to take a paternity test, to which she said he agreed, according to The Associated Press. Officials from the women's and children's rights ministries were also sent to interview the woman.