Ms Silva replaces the late Eduardo Campos, who was killed in a plane crash last week.

 

She was Mr Campos's running mate and served as environment minister.

 

She is seen as a leading challenger to President Dilma Rousseff, who's seeking re-election in the 5 October poll.

 

"I will give the best I have in me," said Ms Silva, 56, after the announcement, which was widely expected. 

 

PSB President Roberto Amaral told a news conference she had been chosen unanimously.

 

Congressman² Beto Albuquerque was named the party's new vice³ presidential candidate.

 

 

Ms Silva will test President Rousseff's status as favourite to win October's election and make this a much more interesting process than it looked like being barely a week ago, the BBC's Wyre Davies in Rio de Janeiro says.

 

In the last presidential election, standing⁴ as the Green candidate, Ms Silva polled a credible⁵ 20% of the vote and is already a recognisable and much-admired figure across this continent-sized nation, our correspondent adds.

 

The first test of public opinion after Mr Campos's death suggested she could surpass the main opposition⁶ PSDB candidate Aecio Neves in the first round and beat current President Dilma Rousseff in the second, although both outcomes were within the poll's margin⁷ of error.

 

But analysts⁸ caution that, with the strong emotional reaction to last week's events, a bounce in the polls was inevitable⁹ and the picture could change substantially.

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