San Vicente - Fears mounted yesterday as the Colombian peace process unravelled and President Andres Pastrana found himself under mounting pressure to take back, under military control, a Switzerland-sized area ceded to leftist rebels three years ago to promote an end to the war.
The 42,000-square kilometre swath of jungle and savannah's status as a rebel safe haven, free of government troops, expires on October 7th. Mr Pastrana has repeatedly renewed the zone's lease of life, but is under strong pressure not to do so again.