He was born in Seville, Spain, about 1480. He came with Nicolás de Ovando to America, to the Hispaniola island, in 1502. In 1503, Ovando sent him with 400 men to the eastern part of the island to fight the Taínos in that region, the Higüey region. There he founded two new towns: "Santa Cruz de Hicayagua", or "Icayagua", the present city of Santa Cruz del Seibo; and "Salvaleón de Higüey".