Navy stands up to him Dilma－Gennom blog

Marina Silva was happy, almost elated, after the election debate Thursday night, the latest and most relevant because, as transmitted by the powerful TV Globo, reaches 50 million Brazilians. Green Party candidate (PV) was the best speaker of the four contenders, compared with Dilma Rousseff (Workers' Party, PT) on the defensive, a José Serra (Brazilian Social Democratic Party, PSDB) resigned and Plínio de Arruda Sampaio (Socialism and Freedom Party, PSOL) less aggressive than usual.

Navy struggled to make it clear two ideas: that she is a "third way" against the PT and the PSDB and that theirs is the only proposal that has a strategic vision rather than management, which looks "towards the challenges ahead" . He was confident when he spoke of the "green wave" that claims to represent and stressed that the fact of not having free propaganda spaces similar to those of PT and PSDB has not prevented its rise in the polls.
In the last two weeks, polls have gone to grant Silva between 8% and 10% of the voting intentions to predict a 14-16%. His good performance in the campaign, particularly in televised debates, and his restraint against verbal excesses of the followers of his rivals have led to this improvement.

"The campaign has been most Marina program" in an election in which "the three main candidates have been built by the marketing," says political scientist Maria do Socorro Sousa Braga, Federal University of São Paulo in São Carlos. "There has been a concern to clarify his ideas, has tried to differentiate themselves and at the same time, make it clear that it will maintain the achievements of Lula inherited," he adds.

However, throughout the campaign, his politics have been somewhat vague. Beyond advocating for environmental protection, intolerance of corruption and equal opportunities, Navy has not shelled the specific points of his electoral program, while it is true that at least has submitted a final program, which is not Dilma and Serra have.
His critics reproach the absence of political discourse, and the truth is that the PV is declared outside the left-right position, a trait that is revealed in their contradictory alliances.

Marina has not had much success in his attempt to put the defense of the Amazon and the controversial reform of the Forestry Code in the middle of a campaign in which the noise and extravagance have left little room to debate ideas.

The acidic criticisms have reached Plinio de Arruda Navy Sampaio, who branded "eco-capitalist." For the leftist candidate, environmental sustainability that require Silva proclaims structural reforms that are incompatible with the economic system that it claims to defend. In addition, a portion of the left is suspicious of the religiousness of the former senator and mother of four children. Indeed, it is known evangelical faith Silva, who, inspired by liberation theology, came to consider becoming a nun. That feature is reflected in his aesthetics, long hair gathered in a stark, contrasting with the elegance of their costumes.
Defender of the Amazon

Backed by a rigid image of honesty and moral principles, his 52 years Marina Silva has won the respect of international environmentalism his fierce defense of the Amazon jungle, forged alongside the legendary activist Chico Mendes in the 80's. His biography, like that of Lula, gives it moral authority. Silva was born in an Amazon village and spent his childhood in poverty in a family dedicated to the collection of rubber, only at age 16 learned to read and began to get involved in politics and defense of the Amazon.

In 2003, when Lula took office, Silva was appointed Minister of Environment. He resigned five years later, his disagreements with the Government and especially with the then chief of staff, Dilma Rousseff, the leading advocate within the developmental model PT, against those who, like Marina, put the emphasis on sustainability.

In 2009, the Navy decided to abandon the PT after decades of militancy. Silva disagreed with "a conception of development based on material growth at any cost." Shortly after the then senator made public his candidacy for the Green Party. Has received support from celebrities such as Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, who was culture minister in Lula's first government.

Not appear that the Green Party will achieve significant gains in Congress and is unlikely to get Marina to reach the second round, but could have a role in the network of alliances that need Rousseff to govern.