Marina Silva has been confirmed as the new presidential candidate for the Brazilian Socialist Party.<br /><br />The announcement comes one week after the previous candidate Edwardo Campos was killed in a plane crash.<br /><br />Silva was Campos’s vice-presidential running mate and the decision for her to replace him was widely expected.<br /><br />“I feel that the Brazilian Socialist Party will take forward the plans for the future that were inspired by Eduardo Campos,” said Silva after the announcement.<br /><br />Before his fatal plane crash, the 49-year-old former governor was a rising political star with the support of about ten percent of voters. <br /><br />Polls put Santos in third place behind President Dilma Rouseff and conservative candidate Aecio Neves.<br /><br />But polls since Campos’s death have shown Silva is neck and neck with Neves.<br /><br />One poll has suggested that if the vote goes to a second round run-off Silva could beat President Rousseff by four points.<br /><br />Brazil’s presidential election is set for 5th October.
