[3][4] Antonio Barreto as he was known, was a Sinhalese Catholic Karava soldier from the Kingdom of Kotte, who had initially fought on the side of the Portuguese Empire as a Lascarin commander.
[8] Antonio Barreto fought on the side of Kandy kingdom where he gained high office under Vimaladharmasuriya I under the name Kuruvita Rala and was rewarded with the title "Prince of Uva".
[10] Writing in the mid 17th century, Philippus Baldaeus states that with the demise of the heir to the throne under suspicious circumstances and the illness of Senarat, Kuruvita Rala was tasked with administering the kingdom.
Kuruvita Rala sieged the stronghold on much of the country including Batticaloa, Wellawaya, Negombo, parts of Sabaragamuwa, Matara and southern half of Kandy Kingdom.
A month later, Kuruvita Rala who chose to remain in the country, was captured and killed by the Dissava, Don Constantino of Matara, marking the end of the Portuguese opposition in the low lands.