Due to this decision, in 1516, Diego Velasquez, governor of Cuba, authorized several companies aiming to serve on the Indian slave trade. These islands were continuously attacked by the Spaniards of Cuba, who mainly sought out to take captive the native population to use them as slaves, from the time of their discovery up to 20 years later As a result, the population of the islands rapidly deteriorated, until Cortes reached Trujillo. The remaining people then sought his protection which he provided by chasing away the ships that hunted the native population, despite the fact that they had licenses from the authorities in Cuba.