31 Facts About Marina Silva

Marina Silva is the founder and former spokeswoman of the Sustainability Network.

Marina Silva ran unsuccessfully for president in 2010,2014 and 2018.

Marina Silva has won a number of awards from US and international organizations in recognition of her environmental activism.

Marina Silva was one of eight people chosen to carry the Olympic flag for the opening ceremonies of the 2012 London Summer Olympics.

Marina Silva is a descendant of Portuguese and black African ancestors in both her maternal and paternal lines.

Marina Silva was one of eleven children in a community of rubber tappers on the Bagaco rubber tree plantation, in the western state of Acre.

Orphaned at age 16, young Marina Silva moved to the state capital, Rio Branco, to study and receive treatment for hepatitis.

Marina Silva was taken in by nuns in a convent and received a Catholic education.

Marina Silva completed her undergraduate degree in history from the Federal University of Acre at 26 and became increasingly politically active.

Marina Silva led demonstrations called empates with Chico Mendes to warn against deforestation and the outplacement of forest communities from their traditional locations.

Marina Silva helped Chico Mendes to lead the trade union movement, being elected as councillor of Rio Branco in 1988 for her first mandate in a public office.

In 1994, Marina Silva was the first rubber tapper ever elected to the Federal Senate.

Also in 2005, Marina Silva established her main lines of action for the next two years: social participation, sustainable development, creation of a National Environmental System, and an Integrated Environmental Policy.

In 2005, Marina Silva was confronted by Paulo Adario, coordinator of Greenpeace Brazil, over her environmental actions during her tenure in the ministry.

Marina Silva remained in office until 2008 and received several criticisms from entrepreneurs on account of delays in granting permits for projects with large environmental impact.

Marina Silva cited "the growing resistance found by our team in important sectors of the government and society" as the reason for her resignation.

Tension between her and the rest of the Lula administration increased when President Lula da Marina Silva chose Minister of Strategic Affairs Roberto Mangabeira Unger to coordinate a sustainable development plan for the Amazon, instead of her.

Marina Silva had become increasingly isolated in Lula da Silva's government due to her views against hydroelectric dams, biofuels, and genetically modified crops.

On 19 August 2009, Marina Silva announced her switch from the Workers' Party to the Green Party, primarily in protest against the environmental policies endorsed by the PT.

Marina Silva said she wanted to be "the first black woman of poor origin" to become president of Brazil.

Marina Silva received strong support among young and highly educated voters.

Marina Silva enjoys strong support among young voters and evangelicals, but because of her pro-environmental stance she is largely distrusted by Brazil's powerful agribusiness sector.

On 30 August 2014, Marina Silva generated considerable controversy when she renounced the party's support for same-sex marriage, which was supported by Campos and had been included in the party's manifesto, published a day earlier.

On 4 August 2018, Marina Silva was officially nominated as the Sustainability Network's presidential candidate in the 2018 elections.

Marina Silva's running mate was Eduardo Jorge of the Green Party.

Until August 2018, Marina Silva came in third in opinion polls for the presidency, behind Luiz Inacio Lula da Marina Silva and Jair Bolsonaro.

Marina Silva is generally considered to be a centrist and an environmentalist.

Marina Silva opposes Brazil's nuclear energy program, and wants to redistribute the nuclear energy funds toward solar and wind power.

Marina Silva is in favor of imposing presidential term limits.

Since 1996, Marina Silva has been a Pentecostal Christian in the Assemblies of God, the second largest Christian denomination in Brazil after the declining but still mainstream Roman Catholic Church.

In December 2014, Marina Silva was elected by the British Financial Times newspaper as one of its Women of the Year.