Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Born into
poverty and a former maid who
learned to read at 16,
environmentalist Marina Silva on
Sunday hopes to become the first
black leader of Brazil, the world's
most diverse nation.
Yet the rubber tappers' daughter,
running against President Dilma
Rousseff, has generally downplayed
the issue of race in the campaign --
disappointing some observers.
Whereas in the United States,
Barack Obama obtained 93 percent
of black votes in his 2012 re-
election, polls suggest Socialist
Party candidate Silva will not even
command a majority of black and
mixed race Brazilians.
Rousseff may be a white middle-
class woman, but on October 26 in
the expected second round run-off
she could garner 45 percent of
black and mixed voters' ballots
compared to 38 for Silva, according
to an Ibope poll.
Many black voters give Rousseff's
Workers' Party (PT) credit for
policies targeting social and racial
inclusion that have boosted the
standing of black and mixed race
Brazilians more than any other
policy going back to the 1888
abolition of slavery.

A census taken in 2011 just after
the last election showed black and
mixed race voters -- comprising 7.6
percent and 43.1 percent
respectively of the 200 million
population -- a narrow majority.
- Not symbolic enough -
In a country with huge social
inequality, and where being black is
largely synonymous with being poor,
it is Rousseff who draws the
greatest support among the needy
and least well educated.
"PT governments have bolstered
the position of black people in
society," explains Franciscan
preacher David Santos, director of
the NGO Educafro.
Father Santos says social welfare
programs such as the Bolsa Familia,
a family allowance for parents who
send their children to school, have
made a huge difference.
"In 80 percent of cases they have
benefited black and mixed race
people," he says.
A 2012 affirmative action law
cementing a process begun several
years earlier has enabled "more
black people to enter public
universities in ten years than in the
previous five centuries."
"The symbolism of Marina Silva is
not enough. Even if she is
promising to retain these policies,
Brazilians prefer to stick with what
they know when faced with a
doubt." he says.
Rousseff appeared in televised
political ad alongside two smiling
black children while accusing Silva of
wanting to slash social welfare
spending.
But Silva has only rarely addressed
the issue of her own race, though
she did once tell a meeting "you are
going to elect Brazil's first black
president."
Mostly, she has concentrated on her
underlying ambition to offer voters
a "new politics" while keeping PT
social policies in place.

IT WILL BE REALLY NICE FOR BRAZIL TO HAVE A BLACK PRESIDO CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THEY STILL HAVE SOME RACIAL ISSUES

200 million racists?
I hope her manifesto is rich.

I love the fact that their women are ambitious...Another female president would be wonderful

Let the best candidate win,black or white,it don't matter.

StealthyMe: I love the fact that their women are ambitious...Another female president would be wonderful

During the world cup most of the Brazilians me and my Dad spoke to heavily criticized the present president largely due to her sex, so i doubt another feminine candidate can succeed her

Andyblaze: During the world cup most of the Brazilians me and my Dad spoke to heavily criticized the present president largely due to her sex, so i doubt another feminine candidate can succeed her

Wooow...so what did theBrazilians say?
I don't really know if her woes as president are cos she is female... ;-\
But i don't think so

we all prayed for a black president for the USA ....now we wish to have a black president in Brazil....well,all i have to say is that....she should use her head eventually if she makes it to the throne...

uzolexis: Let the best candidate win,black or white,it don't matter.

Wise!

female handing over to another is a model democracy worthy of embrace.

Andyblaze: During the world cup most of the Brazilians me and my Dad spoke to heavily criticized the present president largely due to her sex, so i doubt another feminine candidate can succeed her

WELL ANDY,THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE IN BRAZIL IS BTW DILMA ROUSEFF AND THIS WOMAN.SO NO MATTER WHO WINS,THE PRESIDENT WILL STILL BE A FEMALE


NO OFFENCE,BUT THE BRAZILIANS U AND UR DAD CAME ACROSS MUST HAVE BEEN A BUNCH OF SEXISTS WHO DISLIKE SOMEONE JUST BECUZ OF HER GENDER SO THOSE GUYS U SPOKE TO WILL STILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH A FEMALE PRESIDO WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt85ooZgKHw

[size=15pt]Polls show leads Marina Silva in Brazil's presidential race[/size]

buskie13:
we all prayed for a black president for the USA ....now we wish to have a black president in Brazil....well,all i have to say is that....she should use her head eventually if she makes it to the throne...

if she wasn't already using her head, would she have made it where she already is now

Mondisweets:
if she wasn't already using her head, would she have made it where she already is now

you remember one Mrs Jubril sometime ago....if u do....u know where my finger's pointing to

Hopefully she will not promote gay rights OR connive with the West to undermine Africa.Other than that, we have already seen before Ghana's Kofi Anan being the first Black to lead the United Nations. After him, we now have a Kenyan-American in the WAR (White ) House

Good luck to her

.

did she get elected?

I heard about this lady on world news, I hope she wins