Stanford love emails to Maria Belen Shapur published

The State newspaper on Thursday also named her "Maria" after it obtained letters they both exchanged but could not verify. South Carolina Gov. Mark Stanford's office did not dispute the authenticity of the letters, according to The State. The newspaper removed the woman's full name, her e-mail and street address and the name of her children, but published Stanford love letters to and from the woman.

"You are glorious and I hope you really understand that. You do not need a therapist to help you figure your place in the world," Stanford writes on one of three emails addressed to Maria.

"Despite the best efforts of my head my heart cries out for you," he writes in another one.

Shapur speaks English, Portuguese and Chinese, Terra Argentina reports. She had been friend of Stanford for seven years but last year their relationship developed into a love relationship, the site said.

Gov. Stanford admitted having an affair on Wednesday at a press conference and apologized to his family, wife and friends, however he did not clarify if he had ended it and just said he was committed to trying to get his "heart right".

He said he had told his wife about the affair five months ago.

However, the press conference was held after coming back from a six-day trip from Argentina, which he apparently kept private from everyone, including his staff. He had told his staff he would at an Appalachian trail and his wife did not know where he was.

In a statement released yesterday by Sanford's wife Jenny, she says when she found about the infidelity of her husband she sought reconciliation and then worked to repair their marriage. Two weeks ago, she wrote, "I asked him to leave" in an attempt to strengthen their marriage and that is why she didn't know where he was.