Colombia's new defence minister, Juan Carlos Pinzón, received the same instructions when he was sworn in this week as dozens of his predecessors: finish off the Farc (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), South America's oldest leftwing insurgency.

But though the rebels have been weakened by a series of bruising blows to their leadership and massive desertions, the Farc is back on the offensive, recruiting new fighters, ambushing government troops and creating the sense that security gains made in the past decade are slipping.

Across the country, the guerrilla group – which first appeared in 1964 – has stepped up attacks on the military and civilians.
 
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