Marina Silva, a former environment minister who left President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government in 2008, announced today that she is leaving the President’s Workers’ Party (PT) and “in talks with the Green Party in this period of transition” —a move toward what may be a possible presidential run in next year’s election. According to a Datafolha poll released last weekend, a Silva candidacy (3 percent support) would trail that of the current Chief of Staff Dilma Rousseff (37 percent—PT) and São Paulo Governor José Serra (16 percent—Brazilian Social Democracy Party).
Adding to the speculation, the former Brazilian culture minister and renowned artist Gilberto Gil said that “the possibility exists” that he would join Marina Silva as her vice-presidential candidate if she invited him, as reported by Brazil’s Folha de São Paulo. “She wants to talk about her candidacy, about the party, about the Green Party” he said. “I haven’t received an invitation yet, but if she does extend an invitation, I prefer to tell her directly.”
Marina left her post in Lula’s government over disagreements with Lula’s environment agenda, while Gil, winner of seven Grammy awards, left in 2008 to dedicate himself to his music.
