Both provincial leaders, Estanislao López and Francisco Ramírez, were allies of José Gervasio Artigas.

The Army of the Andes, commanded by José de San Martín refused to abandon the offensive against the royalists in Chile and Peru.

[2] The complete victory of the Federal forces over a diminished Directorial army led to the end of the central authority established by the 1819 Constitution through the Supreme Director, and laid the foundations for a rather new Federal organization for Argentina, as the Provinces of Santa Fe, Entre Ríos and Buenos Aires signed the Treaty of Pilar on February 23.

Some provisions included in the Treaty on behalf of Buenos Aires, proved unacceptable to Artigas (styled "Protector of the League of the Free Peoples", who was exiled in Entre Ríos following his defeat to the Brazilian Empire invasion of the Banda Oriental), so he ordered both López and Ramírez to renounce it.

On July 10, 1821, he was assassinated by the forces of his former ally Estanislao López, who fought this time alongside Buenos Aires and Corrientes Provinces, fearful of Ramírez' aspirations.