Paraguay's Bishop-Turned- Prez Admits Fathering Child

The president of Paraguay admitted today to fathering a child with a 26-year-old woman while he was still a Roman Catholic bishop, the Daily Telegraph reports. Fernando Lugo, 57, left the church to pursue political office in December 2006; a son was born five months later, according to the paternity suit filed last week that pressured Lugo into today’s admission.

At first, people close to the president insisted the suit “must be false,” or part of a smear campaign. But today Lugo came clean, saying, “I assume all responsibilities … and I recognize paternity.” During Lugo’s campaign for president, the Vatican insisted he’d always be a bishop, giving him the unprecedented permission to resign only a day before his inauguration. (More Paraguay stories.)