Brazil Supreme Court weighs landmark case on indigenous land rights

Indigenous people watch Brazil's Supreme Court trial of a landmark case on indigenous land rights on a screen in Brasilia, Brazil September 1, 2021. REUTERS/Adriano Machado

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments for and against a cut-off date for land claims that indigenous people say are vital for their survival, while the government advocated for legal certainty for farmers in the agricultural powerhouse.

The top court weighed whether a state government applied an overly narrow interpretation of indigenous rights by only recognizing tribal lands occupied by native communities at the time Brazil's constitution was ratified in 1988.