Former Brazialian minister Silva enters presidential race

Brasilia, Aug 21 (IANS/EFE) The Brazilian Socialist Party named former environment minister Marina Silva as its candidate for the Oct 5 presidential election, replacing Eduardo Campos, who died last week in a plane crash.

"I thank God for helping us through the difficult crossing represented by the loss of our candidate, of our leader," Silva said, while accepting the party's nomination at an assembly here.

A poll done after Campos' death indicated that Silva, an Afro-Brazilian who finished third in the 2010 presidential election as leader of the Green Party, could pose a serious obstacle to President Dilma Rousseff's bid for a second four-year term.

"I carry the weight of the responsibility and a commitment to everything built under the leadership of Eduardo Campos," Silva said, vowing to make no changes to the party's platform.

Campos died in a plane crash in Santos in southeastern state of Sao Paulo, Aug 13. The plane crashed into a residential area, killing all seven people on board.

The party, known by the Portuguese initials PSB, agreed on Silva after three days of consultations that began Sunday, following Campos' funeral in the northeastern city of Recife.

Luiz Roberto "Beto" Albuquerque, a federal congressman and member of the PSB's national executive, was selected as Silva's running mate.

--IANS/EFE

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