BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) Maria Belen Chapur, the Argentine woman who former South Carolina Gov. left his wife and derailed his career over, has finally spoken on camera about their relationship.
Chapur was interviewed by a colleague at Infobae, an Argentine multimedia company where she writes a column. She agreed to talk about the U.S. government shutdown saga, and the interviewer didn't let the opportunity pass without asking her about her personal life with Sanford, who recently won a U.S. congressional seat and has tried to put the scandal over his love life behind him.
"Yes, I'm happy. Until now, happy," she said, adding that she's met Sanford's children, and that she'll remain tied to Argentina for now because her younger son is just 19.
"When we're together, we live together. Partly in Washington, partly in Charleston. Now it's difficult, but until last year he would come to Buenos Aires."
Chapur and Sanford met in 2001 in Uruguay, and she said they didn't begin the affair that derailed his political career and led to his divorce from Jenny Sanford until 2008. "It was strictly friendship. In fact, I would get a Christmas card with their family photo. You can see the mails and there's nothing more there but friendship."