Brazil’s environmental governance is under threat – and Lula is siding with oil industry

Politicians reviled environmental minister Marina Silva in the senate this week, but new legislation is fuelling the fire

Political bullying is rarely as brutal as it was in Brazil this week when the environment minister Marina Silva was ambushed in a senate meeting. Her thuggish tormentors - all white male politicians on the infrastructure committee - took turns to publicly belittle the 67-year-old black woman, who has done more than anyone to protect the natural wealth of the country - the Amazon rainforest, Pantanal wetlands, Cerrado savannah and other biomes - from rapacious abuse.

One by one, they lined up to attack her for these globally important efforts. Decorum gave way to name-calling and sneering: Know your place," roared the committee head, Marcos Rogerio, a Bolsonarist who cut Silva's microphone as she tried to respond. The leader of the centre-rightPSDB, Plinio Valerio, told her she did not deserve respect as a minister. The Amazonas senator Omar Aziz - from the Centrao party and a supporter of president Lula - talked over her repeatedly.