SAO PAULO (AP) — Marina Silva is stepping down as Brazil’s environment minister so that she can run for Congress in national elections. Under Brazilian law, ministers must leave office six months before the vote. Silva returned to the job in 2023 and helped drive a sharp drop in deforestation after major losses under former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Forest loss has fallen by more than half since 2022. Silva also rebuilt enforcement agencies and revived the Amazon Fund. However, experts say her influence have not stopped weaker licensing rules and and a push by current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for offshore oil drilling.
By Gabriela Sá Pessoa, Associated Press
Banner image: Brazil’s Environment Minister Marina Silva smiles during a decree-signing ceremony on Environment Day at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, June 3, 2025. Photo by Eraldo Peres via Associated Press
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