Paraguay's Priest-turned-president Recognizes Another Love-child after Mother's Paternity Suit

By Pedro Servin
Daily Reporter
June 5, 2012

http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/0ef1868911d64405938964a97c50df2e/LT--Paraguay-Presidential-Paternity

In this photo taken Friday, June 1, 2012, Narcisa de la Cruz, the mother Angel Zarate, fathered by Paraguay's President Fernando Lugo, is interviewed at the Paraguayan television station, Telefuturo, in Asuncion, Paraguay. The president of Paraguay has recognized another love-child. This time it's a 10-year-old boy, born to a nurse in the northern state where Fernando Lugo served as a Catholic bishop before renouncing the priesthood and turning to politics. (AP Photo/Ultima Hora)

ASUNCION, Paraguay — Paraguay's president and former priest Fernando Lugo has recognized a second love-child. This time it's a 10-year-old boy, born to a nurse in the northern state where Lugo served as a Catholic bishop before renouncing the priesthood and turning to politics.

Lugo's lawyer, Marcos Farina, says the president has told him to file the paperwork needed to change the boy's last name to Lugo. His mother is Narcisa de la Cruz de Zarate, the fourth woman to have filed a paternity suit against the 61-year-old former cleric.

For those keeping score, Lugo has now acknowledged fathering two of the four children named in paternity suits against him.

He also accepted Guillermo Armindo, the child of Viviana Carrillo, after the woman accused him in 2009 of "irresponsible paternity."

Paraguay's President Fernando Lugo leaves the government palace in Asuncion, Paraguay, Tuesday, June 5, 2012. Lugo has recognized another love-child. This time it's a 10-year-old boy, born to nurse Narcisa de la Cruz de Zarate in the northern state where Lugo served as a Catholic bishop before renouncing the priesthood and turning to politics. De la Cruz is the fourth woman to have filed a paternity suit against the 61-year-old former cleric. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

A third woman,

Damiana Hortensia Moran, insists that she had a sexual relationship with Lugo years ago, but three court-ordered DNA tests showed her child isn't his.

A fourth woman, Benigno Leguizamon, backed out of an out-of-court settlement and renewed her claim that Lugo fathered her 12-year-old son. Lugo's appeal of court orders that he submit to still more DNA tests is now with the supreme court.

"Sooner or later the president will have to give his name to our child, and I think to others as well," Leguizamon said Tuesday.