Fernando Lugo, the President of Paraguay and a former Roman Catholic bishop, has asked for forgiveness over a scandal in which he is facing paternity claims. Mr Lugo admitted two weeks ago that he had fathered a two-year-old boy with a former parishioner.
But two more women came forward to allege that they had children by him and are taking legal action to force him to take a paternity test.
After initially declining to comment, Mr Lugo appeared on national television to ask for "forgiveness" - but insisted he had not fathered more than one child and that he would not resign.
He said that he would see his mandate through to 2013, regardless of "the rumours of instability and conspiracy" now surrounding his presidency.
He said that he was "a human being and therefore nothing human is foreign to me".
"I ask for forgiveness. It was not my intention to offend anyone and if anyone feels upset or hurt in this situation, I don't hesitate to ask for forgiveness in recognising that I failed the church, the country, the citizens, those who put their trust in me."
He added that Paraguay's constitution "guarantees the right to privacy".
Mr Lugo, 57, has acknowledged his relationship with Viviana Carrillo, a glamorous 26-year-old former parishioner who has a two-year-old son, William. Unconfirmed reports have suggested that they have moved into the presidential residence.
Benigna Leguizamon, 27, who alleged that the President had fathered her six-year-old son, has filed a paternity suit, asking the courts to order Mr Lugo to take a DNA test.
A third woman, Damiana Moran, 39, alleged that her 16-month old son, Juan Pablo - named after the late Polish pope - was also the product of a relationship with Mr Lugo.
She claimed that she had met him in 2006 while working as a church outreach worker in the city of San Lorenzo.
"I fell in love because as a man, he is phenomenal," she said. "He is charismatic. He was my ideal of a man and social-political leader."
Mr Lugo resigned as a bishop five years ago. He declared his intention to leave the priesthood altogether in 2006 but Pope Benedict XVI did not accept his resignation - relieving him of his vows of chastity - until shortly before he became President last year.
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