Ruffalo withdraws support for politician over gay rights issue

Mark Ruffalo has announced that he is no longer supporting Brazilian presidential candidate Marina Silva because her manifesto backs same-sex unions rather than full marriage equality.

The Hulk actor released a video endorsing Silva earlier this year (August), but he has since withdrawn his support after reports emerged claiming that her support for same-sex marriage was included in her election manifesto by mistake.

The wording in Silva’s manifesto has reportedly now been changed to include support for “same sex unions,” rather than “same-sex marriage”.

In response, Ruffalo has released a statement explaining that he cannot support a political candidate who doesn’t support full marriage equality.

“I cannot, in good conscience, support a candidate who takes a hard right approach to issues such as gay marriage and reproductive rights, even if that candidate is willing to do the right thing on environmental issues,” wrote the actor on his Tumblr blog, adding, “I have fought for marriage equality in my country and see it as a reflection of the quality of a candidate.

“I have to apologize for not doing a better job of vetting this decision. I apologize if I have let anyone down or made them feel somehow I had done an about face on those issues that I clearly have made an effort to confront and fight,” he added.

Silva’s official Twitter account has responded to Ruffalo’s statement, insisting that the presidential candidate doesn’t oppose marriage equality:

Dear @MarkRuffalo its not true that @silva_marina is against gay marriage. She is a historical human rights advocate. #Equipe40

— Marina Silva (@silva_marina) September 29, 2014

The first round of voting in the Brazilian presidential election takes place this Sunday (October 5), and Silva is currently neck and neck with sitting President Dilma Rousseff in the polls.

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