This beverage is made by boiling two plants, Mariri (Banisteriopsis caapi) and Chacrona (Psychotria viridis), both of which are found in the Amazon rainforest.
It was through his work as a rubber tapper that Mestre Gabriel first encountered Hoasca; receiving what he believed to be revelations, he created the UDV on July 22, 1961, on the border between Brazil and Bolivia, organizing a coherent belief system and gathering the first few followers.
After some years Mestre Gabriel left the forest and moved with his family to Porto Velho, the capital of the Guaporé territory (which would later become the state of Rondônia, Brazil) easing access to and expansion of the UDV.
By then he had already prepared a group of disciples who united, carry on and distribute the spiritual knowledge taught by Mestre Gabriel.
The UDV is also present in numerous other countries, including the US, Canada, England, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Australia.