Francisco Mata (July 24, 1932 – January 24, 2011) was a Venezuelan singer and composer.
Born in Juan Griego, from a young age Mata learned to play the cuatro and the guitar. Along with his father, Alexander Marcano Gómez, he learned to sing a variety of Venezuelan eastern songs, and with his mother Rosa, understood the importance of loving his traditions and religious belief. Mata started to sing in 1939, but, it was not until 1945 that he made his professional debut in appearing at the Beneficent society of Juan Griego. In 1960, Mata joined the Guaiquerí group, with whom he traveled to Caracas to record his first album, Cantos Margariteños. While in the group, he created the well-known sub-genre, Motivo Guaiquerí.
Because of his work and legacy, Mata was considered to be the musical smbassador of Margarita island and a living patrimony of Nueva Esparta State. Mata's musical proficiency allowed hin to compose in eastern genres such as: eastern gaitas, polos, malagueñas, fulías, sabanablancas, puntos, jotas, galerones, zumbaquezumba, lololós, gaitones and estribillos, among others, as well as joropos, waltzes, merengues, boleros and pasodobles. Together his famous compositions, emphazised: La pesca (first composition of the Motivo Guaiquerí), Amigo Turista, Polo margariteño, Malagueña, and "Son para gozarlas", among others.