MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Leading Paraguayan bishop suggests President Lugo should marry

Three candidates for First Laidy of Paraguay

A leading authority of the Catholic Church has suggested that Paraguayan President and former bishop, Fernando Lugo should marry one of the women who claim to have had children with him so as to mitigate the scandal triggered in the country with the repeated allegations.

President Lugo “knows what he must do and among one of them is evidently to consider the possibility of marriage, that is formalize a home, a family with one of them”, said Bishop Claudio Jiménez from Caacupé, who has been one of the most extrovert during the unfolding of the situation that has shocked Paraguay and exposed the local Catholic Church.

Lugo has asked for public forgiveness for the scandal which has erupted following the demand from three women that claim he is father of their children; two of them while he was a bishop, but has also emphatically affirmed that he will complete his five year mandate that concludes in August 2013.

Jimenez said that marriage “will bring peace” to the former bishop and should help to “appease the water” because in his personal opinion Mr. Lugo is the permanent target from political sectors, including his own party, the Patriotic Alliance for Change, APC, a catch-all coalition that took him to victory last year.

Last April 13 President Lugo admitted paternity of a two year child and this week a second woman begun a court demand with the same purpose. A third woman, a divorcee and political militant of one of the grass root groups of APC and very close to the Catholic Church said her son John Paul had been fathered by the president when he was a candidate and “had abandoned his bishop condition”.

Last week a leading Senator from the Authentic Liberal Radical party, senior partner of the ruling coalition, called for the resignation of Lugo because of the scandal. Senator Alfredo Jaeggli said it was time “to concentrate on government issues” adding that President Lugo had lost credibility.

Jimenez, who is also vice-president Episcopal Conference, admitted that the recent events have had an impact on the Paraguayan Catholic Church. “There are people who have an impression about bishops and we must overcome ourselves to recover that consideration”, he said.