Among López's acts as governor of New Mexico, he prohibited the Franciscan priests from forcing the Native Americans to work if they were not paying a salary and recognized their right to practice their religion.

During a period of time, Lopez was part of the garrison of the Presidio of Cartagena de Indias (in modern Colombia).

López and his wife arrived in Santa Fe late that year,[1] although apparently he did not assume the position until July 11, 1659.

[1] López chose the Spaniard Miguel de Noriega (native of Burgos, Spain, but resident in Mexico city) as secretary of government.

[3] López and Juan Ramírez, who arrived with him in New Mexico, clashed over his ideas about the established limits of the civil and religious functions.

In the 1660s, he murdered Navajo traders who traveled to Jémez lands to sell their products, while he captured their women and children to use them as personal slaves.

On another occasion he led military campaigns against the Navajos and the Apaches of Taos, capturing hundreds of them and selling them in places further south.

In 1660, the missionary priests agreed to leave the province, having rejected the governor and the difficulty he created for their religious activity because of the new laws in New Mexico.

[3] In November 1661, having left his residence in the governor's house, López tried to bribe Peñalosa with 6,000 pesos to rule out or at least to minimize the charges made against him.

In the same month Peñalosa abolished López's law regarding taxes, forcing the Amerindians at missions to pay tribute.

[6] At the same time, Juan Manso returned to the province in the position of alguacil mayor of the Inquisition for imprison López and his wife.

[1] In Cartagena, before his appointment as governor of New Mexico,[1] he met and married Teresa de Aguilera y Roche,[1][10] a native of Alexsandria, Italy.

[10] López opened a store in the Casa Real of Santa Fe, trading products such as sugar, chocolate, hats and shoes, among others, to the colonists.