He traveled to the New World under the protection of his sister, Marina de la Caballería, and became an influential part of New Spain's society.
[1] Despite his converso ancestry, Diego's family was granted purity of blood by the king of Aragon, in recognition of their loyal services as royal counselors.
Thanks to this certificate, and to his sister's marriage to New Spain's treasurer Alonso de Estrada, Diego was allowed to travel to the New World.
His hard work to help develop the city, stabilize daily life and integrate with the local population gave him a prominent place in early New Spanish society.
His daughter married the son of conqueror Alonso Pérez,[2] which proves the importance, or at least the respect, he had acquired in local society, even if he had no known encomienda of his own.