José María Pérez de Urdininea was born in the Anquioma hacienda, near Luribay on 31 October 1784. He studied at the La Paz seminary before later studying in Cochabamba. He joined the Bolivian War of Independence in 1809, fighting in the Battle of Huaqui, after which he was taken wounded to Argentina where he joined the army of Manuel Belgrano and fought in the Battle of Tucumán and the Battle of Salta during the Argentine War of Independence. He fought from 1811 to 1821 under the command of various other Argentine leaders including José Rondeau, Martín Miguel de Güemes, and José de San Martín.