The Coca Canyon: Where Rebels Rule

A digger is pictured on the Micay river near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 9, 2025. The Micay Canyon mountains (southwest) have bee...

Men work on a coca plantation in the Micay Valley (Canon del Micay) near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 8, 2025. The Micay Canyon mo...

Locals transit on a road near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 9, 2025. The Micay Canyon mountains (southwest) have been transformed i...

Coca platations are pictured behind a sign that reads in spanish 'Welcome: this territory was recovered from paramilitary forcer and fake guerrillas f...

Guerrilla dissidents from the FARC EP Carlos Patino front, ride a motorcycle near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 9, 2025. The Micay...

A bullet hole on a window is pictured in la Hacienda village near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 9, 2025. The Micay Canyon mountains...

People chat at la Hacienda village near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 9, 2025. The Micay Canyon mountains (southwest) have been tra...

Coca plantations are pictured through the hole of a projectile on the door of a house in la Hacienda village near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colom...

A man rides past a graffitti that reads 'Patino FARC EP' on a road near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 9, 2025. The Micay Canyon mou...

Coca plantations are pictured near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 9, 2025. The Micay Canyon mountains (southwest) have been transfor...

A man washes his clothes inside a house in la Hacienda village near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 9, 2025. The Micay Canyon mountai...

Bullet holes are projected inside a house in la Hacienda village near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 9, 2025. The Micay Canyon mount...

A man rides his motorbike on a street in El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 9, 2025. The Micay Canyon mountains (southwest) have been tr...

A Cocaine base laboratory is pictured in the middle of a coca plantation in the Micay Valley (Canon del Micay) near El Plateado, Cauca department, Col...

Coca plantations are pictured behind a man collecting water at la Hacienda village near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 9, 2025. The...

Members of the armed forces released by local communities after being held in a guerrilla enclave, walk on a destroyed bridge as they head to El Plate...

A colombian flag is pictured next to a burned armored vehicle in a guerrilla enclave at El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 8, 2025. The...

Members of the armed forces released by local communities after being held in a guerrilla enclave, head to El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on...

Members of local communities look at members of the armed forces, released by local communities after being held in a guerrilla enclave, head to El Pl...

Members of the armed forces released by local communities after being held in a guerrilla enclave, head to El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on...

Soldiers gather their equipment after local communities force them to leave their military base near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March...

An Army helicopter flies past over soldiers gathering their equipment after local communities force them to leave their military base near El Plateado...

Members of local communities walk towards a military base to force armed soldiers to leave at El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 8, 2025...

Soldiers gather their equipment after local communities force them to leave their military base near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March...

Colombian soldiers wait for members of the armed forces released by local communities after being held in a guerrilla enclave, in El Plateado, Cauca d...

Members of the armed forces wait to be released by local communities after being held in a guerrilla enclave, at El Plateado, Cauca department, Colomb...

Members of the armed forces released by local communities after being held in a guerrilla enclave, head to El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on...

Soldiers walk away after local communities force them to leave their military base near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 8, 2025. The...

Soldiers gather their equipment after local communities force them to leave their military base near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March...

General view of Coca plantations in the Micay Valley (Canon del Micay) near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 8, 2025. The Micay Canyon...

A cocaine base laboratory is pictured in the middle of Coca plantations in the Micay Valley (Canon del Micay) near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colo...

A man sits in the middle of a coca plantation in the Micay Valley (Canon del Micay) near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia on March 8, 2025. The...

Soldiers walk away among coca plantations after local communities force them to leave their military base near El Plateado, Cauca department, Colombia...

AFP presents a reportage by photographer Joaquin Sarmiento of 33 pictures taken on March 8 and 9, 2025, of The Coca Canyon: Where Rebels Rule. The Mic...