Vinícius Júnior sues Rio gubernatorial candidate Douglas Ruas

Vinícius Júnior, the Real Madrid footballer, has taken legal action against Douglas Ruas, a candidate for the governorship of Rio de Janeiro, regarding the unauthorized use of his image in electoral propaganda.

The player's legal team requested the immediate removal of the campaign material from television and social media, as well as a right of reply. The defense argues that the use of the athlete's photograph, which also included images of influencer Virginia Fonseca, was out of context and could falsely imply an endorsement of Ruas's candidacy.

In response, the Ruas campaign announced it had suspended the advertisements upon learning of the legal action. The campaign issued a statement apologizing to both Vinícius Júnior and Virginia Fonseca, asserting that there was no intention to cause embarrassment or suggest political support. The case has been transferred to the Regional Electoral Court of Rio de Janeiro (TRE-RJ) for further judgment.

Separately, Douglas Ruas has faced political debate regarding his stance on the use of public funds for institutional VIP boxes at the Sapucaí Sambódromo during Carnival, a topic he has pledged to address by redirecting such resources to health and education.