Janaina Riva appeals to Supreme Federal Court over electoral advertising dispute

Janaina Riva, a state deputy from Mato Grosso, has appealed to the Supreme Federal Court (STF) after the Regional Electoral Court (TRE-MT) denied her request for equal free electoral advertising time. Riva, running for the Senate, alleges that her coalition, Coração da Gente, has distributed radio and television airtime unequally, favoring her running mate, José Medeiros (PL).

Ananias Filho, state president of the Liberal Party (PL), criticized the legal action, stating that the dispute could have been resolved internally. He noted that Riva already retains the full advertising time allocated to the MDB, PRD, and Solidariedade parties, in addition to the shared time between candidates.

This legal battle occurs as the Vale do Arinos region faces a potential loss of direct legislative representation. For 32 years, the region has maintained a presence in the Mato Grosso State Assembly, starting with José Riva and continuing through Janaina Riva. Her decision to run for the Senate has opened a competitive race for her state assembly seat, with candidates such as Jéssica Riva and Carlos Sirena entering the fray.