When Che Guevara's column passed through the province of Las Villas, and specifically through the Escambray Mountains – where the anticommunist Revolutionary Directorate forces (who became known as the 13 March Movement) had been fighting Batista's army for many months – friction developed between the two groups of rebels.
Da Che Guevaras gruppe passerede igennem Las Villas-provinsen, og særligt gennem Escambray-bjergene - hvor det antikommunistiske Directorio Revolucionarios styrker (der blev kendt som 13. marts-bevægelsen) havde kæmpet mod Batistas hær i mange måneder - opstod der friktion mellem de to grupper oprørere.