It’s highly unlikely you’ve ever crossed the Monado state, but if you ever have, you’ve surely passed through Punta de Mata—a town that for many is just a quick stop along the highway, and for some is known as the “land of oil,” which grew to the rhythm of industrial activity. But for us who live here, we feel this corner of the Ezequiel Zamora municipality intimately; it has a heartbeat of its own that goes far beyond than those statistics.
Punta de Mata is a place of contrasts where the history of a young town blends with the constant movement of its people and an urban scene that seeks to express itself on every corner.
Unlike other traditional towns in Venezuela, Punta de Mata is relatively young, having formally come into being in the early 1940s when the oil boom transformed isolated fields into a gathering place for people from all over. Immigrants from other regions of the country and abroad arrived in search of opportunities, shaping the local identity.
Today, it is considered the second most important city in Monal State after Maturín, as it is a key commercial hub where activity never stops. Anyone walking through downtown at midday will feel the true rhythm of Punta de Mata: the heat of the eastern sun accompanies the constant bustle of the shops, the sound of motorcycles, and the dynamism of those working hard to get ahead.
This is a lively city—sometimes noisy and chaotic—but brimming with a unique entrepreneurial energy. However, the atmosphere changes noticeably when the sun sets; as night falls, the temperature drops, and that cool breeze characteristic of the area begins to blow. The streets take on a different kind of calm that is sometimes even mysterious—a moment when the pace slows, perfect for conversation, enjoying the local cuisine, or recalling the stories and legends that are part of the eastern plains tradition.
