Please, drop the unneeded font dependency in python-matplotlib-data on ttf-bitstream-vera. Upon inspection, only templates in this software refer to this font but also to other fonts such as DejaVu.
The software uses graceful degradation when the certain font is not found. In general, hard dependencies on font are not desirable. This is especially the case for a well-known font such as this which is also distributed via TeX Live.
When a font is offered by both APT and TeX Live, it is easier for users to solve this conflict when font packages can be deinstalled. However, with unneeded dependencies that is a problem for the user as APT cannot purge font package without breaking dependencies.
Alternatively, this dependency could be downgraded to a recommendation or a suggestion. Ideally, the dependency is removed all together.
Also worth mentioning is that Ubuntu is lagging years behind with packaging of TeX Live. Hence, users of TeX Live are forced to solve font collisions in this way.
Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.