Paraguay's Lugo vows to beat cancer and govern: aide

Paraguay's President Fernando Lugo (C) speaks with architect Gonzalo Garay during his visit to the construction site of a new avenue in Asuncion August 9, 2010.

ASUNCION (Reuters) - Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo is determined to keep governing while he battles lymphatic cancer, a government minister and close aide to the leader told Reuters on Tuesday.

A former Roman Catholic bishop, Lugo ended 60 years of single-party rule in Paraguay when he took the helm of the poor, soy-exporting nation two years ago. His term ends in August 2013.

Last week, the president was diagnosed as suffering non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer that originates in the lymphatic system, the disease-fighting network spread throughout the body.

"As soon as the diagnosis was made and it was confirmed the illness would not hinder his ability to carry out his duties, the president ... said 'I can do both things at the same time, beat this illness and govern,'" Communications Minister Augusto Dos Santos said in an interview.

Lugo, 59, has not made any public comments since the cancer was discovered.

The president left for Sao Paulo, Brazil on Tuesday for further tests to determine the severity of the illness and the best treatment, which his doctors said will likely include 18 weeks of chemotherapy.

Independent physicians have said the treatment could weaken Lugo and force him to curtail his activities, but Dos Santos said the president plans to undergo chemotherapy on weekends so he can stay active during the week.

"The president will have a normal agenda (domestically) and his international agenda will also continue to be carried out normally. There will not be any kind of modification," Dos Santos said.

Lugo is at loggerheads with his vice president, Federico Franco, who is first in the line of succession, but Franco has repeatedly said he will not take advantage of the illness to try to take over the presidency.

(Writing by Hilary Burke, Editing by Stacey Joyce)