Brazil Decides: Silva Establishes Conditions for Supporting Neves

Marina Silva, who finished third in the Brazilian presidential election and therefore was bumped from the ballot, is under negotiations with the campaign of Aecio Neves, of the right-wing Social Democratic Party of Brazil (PSDB), to throw her support behind his campaign in the second round. Neves will face off with Dilma Rousseff of the Workers Party (PT) who is seeking reelection. The second and final round of elections will be held October 26.

Silva attempted to portray herself as beyond the politics of left and right and was lauded by the international media. Her official support of Neves in the second round would risk alienating her supporters by aligning herself with one of the major political parties of Brazil.

Silva has put forward a surprising demand in exchange for her support, according to the newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo, she has asked that the PSDB support certain demands of social movements, such as those presented by Indigenous groups and the Landless Peasants Movement (MST). The MST has historically considered the PSDB to be an opponent and has supported the candidates of the PT in the second round of the last few presidential elections.

Silva is additionaly hoping to extract more out of a deal with Neves and the PSDB. Her support would also be conditional on the party ending the possibility of reelection of presidents beyond more than one term. Although this is already a campaign plank in the platform the PSDB. Silva also wants Neves to support some elements of her campaign, namely around education and the environment. An advisor to Silva told the Folha de Sao Paulo paper that Neves must approach her team if he wishes to obtain her support.

It is yet unclear of Marina's coalition, United for Brazil, will also support Neves or if it will merely be her support as an individual. A decision will be announced sometime later this week. The Brazilian paper Estadao reported that the Sustainability Network, associated with Silva, would not be supporting Dilma but also could not agree to support Neves either.

Silva also received third place in the 2010 elections but chose to remain neutral after neither the Workers Party nor the PSDB took up her list of demands.