He went to Mexico as a young man, and upon the recommendation and financing of his uncle, conquistador and wealthy mine owner Diego de Ibarra, Francisco was placed at the head of an expedition to explore northwest from Zacatecas in 1554.
On je otišao u Meksiko kao mladić, a na preporuku i financiranje svog ujaka, konkvistadora i bogatog vlasnika rudnika Diega de Ibarre, Francisco je stavljen na čelu ekspedicije za istraživanje sjeverozapadno od Zacatecasa godine 1554.