Dinho Dowsley appeals ban on state deputy candidacy

Dinho Dowsley, President of the João Pessoa City Council, is appealing a decision by the Regional Electoral Court of Paraíba (TRE-PB) that barred his candidacy for state deputy. The appeal is currently being reviewed by Minister André Mendonça at the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).

The TRE-PB denied the registration based on evidence from ‘Operação Território Livre’, an investigation into alleged political-electoral structures linked to criminal factions. The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) has filed a response supporting the veto, describing a “conscious symbiosis” between the politician and the criminal organization's territorial apparatus. The MPF argues that the relationship involved a mutual adjustment of interests rather than mere ideological alignment, which could constitute an infiltration of the electoral process.

Dowsley’s defense, led by lawyer Maria Claudia Bucchianeri, contests the accusations, arguing that there is no personal act justifying the impediment and citing the presumption of innocence, as there is no final criminal conviction. Despite the unfavorable legal opinions, Dowsley continues his campaign while awaiting the TSE's decision.