Under its president, Nuno Beltran de Guzman, the first Audiencia of 1528 would turn out to be the most brutal government in New Spain’s history. The chief delegates imposed heavy taxes and labour on the natives, some of whom were enslaved or murdered; and missionary friars who objected to this conduct were threatened, and risked being tortured or killed. While Cortes had made some effort to protect the interests of the indigenous population, Guzman took advantage of his absence in Spain to defame him and persecute his supporters. Guzman’s agents also censored communications from the colony, to prevent news of this conduct from reaching higher authorities in the peninsula.