Complaint details claims of harsh discipline, denied promotions, and ignored grievances at WAPA TV
A Puerto Rico news reporter is suing WAPA TV, claiming she was fired after repeatedly raising the alarm about gender discrimination and retaliation in the newsroom.
Reina Mateo Alvarado, a veteran journalist, filed her complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico on October 9, 2025. She alleges that Televicentro of Puerto Rico, LLC—operator of WAPA TV Channel 4—engaged in a pattern of discriminatory and retaliatory practices that culminated in her abrupt dismissal in December 2024. The lawsuit, which also names Axis Insurance Company and unidentified insurers as defendants, seeks at least $600,000 in damages, reinstatement, and a jury trial.
Mateo began her career at Televicentro in June 2018, initially covering a colleague’s maternity leave before being promoted to Production Assistant and later to News Reporter in July 2021. According to the complaint, her troubles escalated after she and other female colleagues were passed over for anchor positions or denied advancement opportunities. Mateo alleges she was told by a supervisor that she was “too young, too girly” to be paired with a male anchor, and that her appearance would make her colleague look “too much older.” The position was eventually given to an older female reporter.
The complaint outlines a series of incidents in which Mateo claims she was disciplined more harshly than male...
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