Then he studied at the Pontifical University of San Carlos of Guatemala, graduating from high school in Instituta and Law in 1811 and 1813 respectively.

He participated in the independence events in Central America in 1821, along with his uncle Mariano de Aycinena y Piñol, who was named by Manuel José Arce as Governor of Guatemala in 1827.

Juan José Aycinena managed to get himself elected as a representative in the Interim Advisory Board, was a member of the Central Federal Congress in 1838 by the province of Totonicapán, and was chief minister during the regime of Mariano Rivera Paz, deputy of the Constituent Assembly of Guatemala on behalf of the university (1851–1856) and the Department of Verapaz (1856–1865).

His ideas, his decisions, his writing, sketching, reflect a desire for social stability, and based on mainly Catholic values.

Ralph Woodward wrote of him: "During Rafael Carrera's presidency Piñol and his familia – who had strong ties to the Catholic Church, had an enormous influence on Guatemala's politics and education.

"[7] He worked as a public official in other positions, including Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs and member of the Council of State (1855–1862) and was also behind the return of the Jesuits to Guatemala in 1851.