Key Amazon cases reach Brazil’s Supreme Court following Lula's defeats in Congress

SAO PAULO -- SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's Supreme Court is set to weigh a series of cases in the coming days that could reshape protections for the Amazon rainforest and the Indigenous communities that depend on it.The cases span from Indigenous land rights, recent rollbacks on environmental safeguards and infrastructure projects. Despite their differences, they share a common path to the court.In recent years, a mostly conservative Congress approved measures that environmentalists say violate constitutional rights. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, whose administration has pursued a more environmentally focused agenda, vetoed some measures outright and parts of others.But lawmakers overrode those objections, and the disputes ultimately reached the Supreme Court, which environmental advocates increasingly view as the last line of defense against the weakening of environmental protections in Brazil.The cases illustrate the constraints facing the Lula administration. Despite notable achievements in reducing deforestation and directing resources to foster ecological investments, the government has often struggled to counter a conservative Congress where agribusiness interests wield si...