Colombia's transformation incomplete

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  Children play under a banner promoting the FARC's 7th Front in Puerto Nuevo, Colombia. This stretch of the Guayabero River remains a guerrilla stronghold and locals say government presence is minimal. Pascal Jequier / ICRC

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  A child stands by a sign for the FARC guerrillas in Nueva Colombia, Colombia. This stretch of the Guayabero River remains a guerrilla stronghold, and locals say the government has failed to provide basic services. Pascal Jequier / ICRC

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  Pablo Vargas, 55, is a cattle rancher and coca grower near Nueva Colombia, Colombia. He said he has tried to make the switch to legal crops but the lack of roads and punishing cargo costs along the river make it unfeasible. Pascal Jequier / ICRC

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  A villager near Puerto Cachicamo, Colombia demonstrates how coca leaves are turned into coca paste - a precursor to cocaine. Many villagers along the Guayabero River say they work in the coca industry because the lack of roads and government support make most other crops economically unfeasible. Pascal Jequier / ICRC

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  The town of Puerto Nuevo, Colombia only has electricity a few hours a day and doesn't have potable water. Surrounded by guerrillas and with little government presence, many villagers continue to harvest coca to make a living. Here, two children stand along Puerto Nuevo's main road. Jim Wyss / The Miami Herald

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  Villagers in Puerto Nuevo, Colombia tried to build a church nine years ago. But the roads into town are so bad that priests only visit a few times a year, so the project stalled. Puerto Nuevo is along the Guayabero River, where locals say the government has forgotten about their plight. Jim Wyss / The Miami Herald

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  A woman walks by a sign in Puerto Cachicamo, Colombia that reads: "Join the FARC-EP" - the nation's largest guerrilla group. Villagers along the Guayabero say government neglect has forced them into a tenuous existence surrounded by guerrillas and reliant on illicit crops. Jim Wyss / The MIami Herald

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  Antonio holds a few chunks of coca base, a precursor to cocaine. Along Colombia's Guayabero River, coca base is as good as cash. Two grams is worth about $1 and might buy a Coca-Cola. Jim Wyss / The Miami Herald

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  A man walks through an abandoned disco in Puerto Cachicamo, Colombia. The nation's largest guerrilla group built the installation from 1999-2002 when they were engaged in peace talks with the government. When those talks broke down, the building was shelled. Although it's one of the largest and most solid structures in the village, it is rarely used because it remains a frequent target. The Miami Herald / Jim Wyss

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  An abandoned disco in Puerto Cachicamo, Colombia. The nation's largest guerrilla group built the installation from 1999-2002 when they were engaged in peace talks with the government. When those talks broke down, the building was shelled. Although it's one of the largest and most solid structures in the village, it is rarely used because it remains a frequent target. The Miami Herald / Jim Wyss

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  An abandoned disco in Puerto Cachicamo, Colombia. The nation's largest guerrilla group built the installation from 1999-2002 when they were engaged in peace talks with the government. When those talks broke down, the building was shelled. Although it's one of the largest and most solid structures in the village, it is rarely used because it remains a frequent military target. Pascal Jequier / ICRC