A defining moment for Uribe was his father's kidnapping and murder in 1983 by rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC. His political career has been dedicated to vanquishing insurgents who at one point controlled a quarter of the country, had encircled the capital and had the Colombian military on the ropes.
He took office at a time when many Colombians were disgusted with the rebels' perceived refusal to negotiate in any meaningful fashion. Uribe pledged to crack down and never again give an inch of land to the rebels.
"He ran at a moment when the entire country was furious," Duzan said. "People thought the FARC had tricked them."
Today, foreign investment is up, and roads that were too dangerous to travel are now full of traffic. The capital, Bogota, is alive with outdoor cafes and trendy restaurants.
For the overwhelming majority of Colombians, Uribe has been nothing short of heroic.
Uribe's popularity was evident in Aguadas, about 100 miles northwest of Bogota, on Saturday when he arrived at the high school to convene one of his weekly town hall meetings. A standing ovation from 800 townsfolk greeted Uribe and various ministers.
"Let's not get distracted," Uribe said, referring to the national jubilation that has swept Colombia since the July 2 rescue of the hostages. "If one gets overconfident, you become like the bullfighter who starts to look up in the stands, looking for applause, only to end up getting gored."
As is his routine, Uribe listened to a succession of local officials and citizens as they presented a list of requests, including road improvements, new health clinics and loans for farmers. He then assigned each demand and complaint to the responsible minister, making each one accountable.
"People like the fact that he confronts problems directly and publicly," said Juan Manuel Charry, an independent political analyst. "He's in your face, and people like it."
The president and his entourage of perhaps 100 officials, including a vigilant security detail, returned to their helicopters as the Andean cloud cover moved in. Grateful residents presented him with one of the straw hats for which the region is famous.
Before departing, Uribe pledged to return soon and make sure the promised aid would materialize.
"There's still pain out there," Uribe concluded, noting that hundreds of Colombians remain hostages of left-wing guerrillas. "But we're going to continue with this job."
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chris.kraul@latimes.com
patrick.mcdonnell @latimes.com
