Environmentalist Marina Silva Resigns From Brazilian Cabinet

May 14, 2008 6:39 a.m. EST

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (AHN) - Renowned environmentalist Marina Silva on Tuesday stepped down as environment minister after five years of actively defending Brazil's Amazon rainforest.

Excerpts of her resignation letter, published by Agencia Brasil news service, said she quit her post due to "difficulties I have been facing to pursue the federal environment agenda." ``During my trajectory, Your Excellency was a witness of the growing resistance found by our team in important sectors of the government and society,''added Silva in the letter addressed to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Environment Ministry spokeswoman Gerusa Barbosa emailed a copy of her letter to the media.

According to Bloomberg, the President weakened Silva's power over concessions for infrastructure projects when he removed responsibilities for environmental licensing from Brazil's Environmental Agency Ibama last year.

Reports said Ibama's president, Bazileu Alves Margarido Neto, also resigned from hispost after Silva announced her decision.

Silva, who was appointed by the President in 2002, said she would return to Brazil's senate where she can gather political support and continue to push for environmental causes. During her tenure, she was instrumental in strengthening and implementing stringent laws on logging and farming on the Amazon rain forest.

Frank Guggenheim, executive director for Greenpeace in Brazil, described Silva to Bloomberg News as the "environment's guardian angel", lamenting that `Now Brazil's environment is orphaned.''

Meanwhile, Agencia Brasil said Carlos Minc, Rio de Janeiro's state environment secretary and Green Party founder, was chosen to assume the vacated post.