The Audiencia had instructions to improve the treatment of the Indigenous and to conclude the impeachment investigations of Cortés and his associates Pedro de Alvarado, Alonso de Estrada, Rodrigo de Albornoz, Gonzalo de Salazar and Pedro Almíndez Chirino within 90 days.
Cortés himself was still in Spain, where he was defending his conduct and appealing to Charles concerning his loss of authority.