Until before the Laws of Municipalities were passed in late 2009 and early 2010, it was one of the three existing second level administrative subdivisions, the others being the Local Boards of Bella Unión and San Carlos, that were granted certain level of autonomy and able to hold local elections of its authorities.

It also kept the same territorial jurisdiction of the Autonomous and Elective Local Board of Río Branco and includes the constituencies identified by the series GDA, GDB, GDC, GDD and GDH as defined by the Electoral Board of Cerro Largo.

It borders Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul State to the north, the Lagoon Merín to the east, Treinta y Tres Department to the south, Plácido Rosas municipality to the south west and Las Cañas municipality to the north west.

It includes a vast country region mainly destined to rice paddies and, to a lesser extent, used for livestock.

It also features flood-prone low plains, due to the Yaguarón and Tacuarí Rivers, and the Lagoon Merín.