Why did Juan Ortiz become deSoto's interpreter?

Juan Ortiz became de Soto's interpreter due to his previous experience with Spanish explorers and his knowledge of Native American languages. Captured by the Spanish in his youth, he learned Spanish and became familiar with the customs and languages of various Indigenous tribes. His unique position as both a Native American and a speaker of Spanish made him invaluable to de Soto for communication and diplomacy during the expedition.