Brazil: Serra, Dilma Rousseff, and Marina Silva Face Off for the First Time in a Cordial Debate.

[Meshuga]

BELO HORIZONTE - The main presidential candidates - José Serra (PSDB), Dilma Rousseff (PT) and Marina Silva (Green) - faced off Thursday for the first time in a debate marked by cordiality among the three candidates, some promises made to mayors, and Serra reaching out to the green party, the Populist Party of Senator Francisco Dornelles, and to what Serra described as a historic PMDB. Organized by the Associação Mineira de Municípios, in Belo Horizonte, Serra, Dilma and Marina defended alliances among parties, and a better relationship between the federal government, states and municipalities, especially regarding the sharing of tax funds.

Only Marina was more incisive, and despite praising the opponents, she criticized the concessions made by parties of Serra and Rousseff when they took power.

"We must invest in ethical values and be able to put the country's interests above the interests of my party, Minister Dilma Rousseff's party, and the party of governor José Serra. PSDB tried to govern alone and ended up being hostage to what was the worst in the Democrats. PT tried to govern alone, without dialogue with PSDB, and we became hostages to what was the worst in PMDB" - said Marina, who left PT to join the Green Party.

Serra surprised Rousseff by answering:

"I will say this, Marina. If I am elected, I want to see both PT and the Green Party in the government to work on common goals. We should maximize strength, increase representation of political groups" - Said Serra while receiving applause from the crowd.

Source (in Portuguese): http://oglobo.globo.com/pais/mat/2010/05/06/serra-acena-ate-para-pt-tucano-dilma-marina-se-enfrentam-pela-1-vez-em-debate-marcado-pela-cordialidade-916524453.asp