Michael Buchanan in Colombia
has sent these pictures, to go with his report from last night.
They're from from San Jose del Guaviare. Michael says...
"...producing cocaine in Colombia is remarkably simply and of course hugely lucrative. First,
burn away a section of the rainforest. This was the largest of several fires I could see when I went for a helicopter ride with the Colombian National Police.
In the ensuing clearance, plant coca leaves.
Most of the planters are peasant farmers, given the seeds by one of several drug cartels that operate in this area, who then come and collect the raw produce. The area we flew over was the Macerena National Park, so this crop cannot by law by fumigated by air. Instead, starting in April, the government will employ other peasant farmers to pull the crop up by hand. Its more effective than aerial fumigation, but hugely dangerous and the eradicators are often attacked.
The Guaviare river is the centre of life in the town. 
By far the most convenient source of transport, these boats carry loads all the way to Venezuela. The remote of the region is of course perfect for the drug traffickers.
On the outskirts of San Jose I met this young boy, 
one of several dozen members of the Nukak Maku tribe. Nomads, they were only discovered by the outside world in 1988. Today they find themselves caught up in Colombia's internal conflict, forced to leave their jungle homes, to try assimiliate. Their leader committed suicide 2 years ago over his failure to secure supplies and a home for his people.
As you can see their shelters are basic, but they do provide some shade."
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