Mark Sanford This article is more than 10 years oldMaria Belen Chapur speaks publicly about former governor Mark Sanford
This article is more than 10 years oldArgentinian woman talks to press for first time about US politician who resigned South Carolina office over affair with herMaria Belen Chapur, the Argentinian woman for whom former South Carolina governor Mark Sanford left his wife and derailed his career, has finally spoken on camera about their relationship.
Chapur was interviewed by a colleague at Infobae, an Argentinian multimedia company for whom she writes a column. She agreed to talk about the US government shutdown saga, and the interviewer didn't let the opportunity pass without asking her about her personal life with Sanford, who in May won a US congressional seat and has tried to put the scandal over his love life behind him.
Sanford resigned as governor of South Carolina in 2009, after going missing for six days – days which he spent with Chapur, while his staff told media he was hiking the Appalachian Trail.
"Yes, I'm happy. Until now, happy," she said, adding that she has met Sanford's children, and that she will remain tied to Argentina for now because her younger son is just 19.
"When we're together, we live together," she said. "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 did not 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."
She said Sanford had made major sacrifices for his country, and suggested that no one should think their partnership is about money.
"What I can tell you is that he works incredibly hard, he deeply loves his country," she said. "What he's gone through these past five years he could have left it all behind him. It's not about the money. The whole world has this fantasy that governors or congressman make a lot of money.
"I can tell you that a governor makes $108,000 a year and from this you have to deduct a third in taxes, so from this he can't even pay for private school for his children, without of course help from family or a fortune from before."
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