Martín Marciales Moncada

Martín Marciales Moncada, known as Martín Marciales, hijo (January 18, 1912 – March 6, 2001) was a Venezuelan visionary, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.

He critically contributed to the development of the city of San Cristóbal during the 20th century.

Martín Marciales Moncada was one of the few financially successful Venezuelan entrepreneurs who was never involved in politics.

President Velásquez referred to him as a “rarely seen prophet in his own land.” Historian Luis Hernández Contreras researched Martín Marciales Moncada's personal and public life and published his biography in a three-volume tome entitled Martín Marciales, hijo, which includes a prologue written by former Venezuelan President Ramón J. Velásquez.

Martín Marciales Moncada was one of very few recipients of the Order Francisco de Miranda, Knight Grand Cross (1st Class), the highest rank of the order.

It was the only time President Velasquez traveled outside of the capital city to grant the National Order to a citizen.

Martín Marciales Jaime, Martín Marciales Moncada's father, was a revolutionary in favor of Juan Pablo Peñaloza, the opposition leader to both Cipriano Castro and Juan Vicente Gómez.

The opposition were then called “Yellow Liberals.” Martin Marciales Jaime was a carpenter who hid weapons in secret compartments in the furniture he made.

The weapons were intended to arm the forces of the so-called “Yellow Revolutionaries” who hoped to oust then dictator Juan Vicente Gómez from power.

When Martín Marciales Moncada was eight years old, his father was sent to prison at El Castillo de San Carlos due to his revolutionary activities.

The entire family relocated closer to the prison so they could visit and assist Martin Marciales Jaime.

At that time, Martín Marciales Moncada started working to help support his family.

He and his mother opened a small shop where they sold groceries and basic goods.

Martín Marciales Moncada graduated from elementary school, but did not continue his education.

As a young teenager, Martín Marciales Moncada started working as a traveling merchant.

He sold spare parts for vehicles, including tires, as well as other goods.

In his early twenties, Martín Marciales Moncada returned to San Cristóbal.

There, he bought from his father and began managing a Chevrolet car dealership.

During this time, the Germans dominated most of local commerce in the area using their own monetary system; they paid local farmers with custom-made tokens, which could only be used in German-owned shops and businesses.

As such, there was no real local currency in circulation.

Martín Marciales Moncada played major role in disentangling the local economy from the German influenced system of tokens.

Later, at the age of 28, Martín Marciales Moncada began directly importing General Motors vehicles to San Cristóbal, and was one of two major importers of GM vehicles in the country.

This business effort allowed Martín Marciales Moncada to develop enough financial power to contribute significantly to the city's development.

Martín Marciales Moncada's biographer, Luis Hernández Contreras, described these efforts as Martín Marciales Moncada's “own diverse ways of being useful.”

On April 7, 1945, Martín Marciales Moncada married Marina González Romero.

The couple had four children: Marcial, Mariana, Mariela, and Mario.

Marina still resides in San Cristóbal and is a renowned philanthropist and artist.

Martín Marciales Moncada either founded or co-founded the following:

He was a founding member of the Rotary Club.

Much of Martín Marciales Moncada's philanthropic work was done through the Rotary Club, including:

Annual donations of cars as prizes for various fundraising raffles

In 1951, Martín Marciales Moncada imported the first fire truck to San Cristóbal and founded the local fire department.

Many local people reported occasions in which he personally saved their lives as a volunteer firefighter.

Martín Marciales Moncada used raffle proceeds to help rebuild the Basilica of Our Lady of Consolation, Táriba.

He contributed to the raffle by donating two houses, three cars, and ninety sewing machines, which were used as raffle prizes.

All proceeds went directly to the Basilica.

He was awarded the Order of St. Sylvester for his generosity by Pope Paulo VI on January 11, 1967.

Director of the Asociación Civil, an NGO responsible for the financial and administrative management of the university.

Martín Marciales Moncada contributed in founding a school for boys and built a relationship with his lifelong mentor, Fr. Hermano Basilio.

Martín Marciales Moncada also sponsored Fr. Basilio's anthropological research on the Orinoco Delta natives.