Final answer:
The importation and forced labor of indigenous people by the Spanish and Portuguese led to the encomienda system, which was eventually reformed by efforts of advocates like Bartholomew de las Casas, culminating in the New Laws of the Indies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Importation of Indigenous People by Spanish and Portuguese
The importation and exploitation of indigenous people by the Spanish and Portuguese led to various systems of forced labor, such as the encomienda and repartimiento systems. Influential advocates like Bartholomew de las Casas were pivotal in creating awareness and leading to reform efforts. His efforts aided in the promulgation of the New Laws of the Indies, which sought to ensure the good treatment and preservation of the indigenous population, and ultimately contributed to the end of the encomienda system.
While this helped put an end to some of the atrocities committed against the indigenous people, it inadvertently paved the way for the importation of more enslaved Africans as labor. The Catholic Church had prohibited the enslavement of native people but not of Africans, which led to a dramatic increase in the trans-Atlantic slave trade to meet the labor demands of colonies in the Americas