Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon, or
Marechal Rondon (5 May 1865 – 19 January 1958) was a Brazilian military officer who is most famous for his exploration of
Mato Grosso and the Western
Amazon Basin, and his lifelong support of Brazilian indigenous populations. He was the first director of Brazil's
Indian Protection Bureau (SPI/FUNAI) and supported the creation of the
Xingu National Park. The Brazilian state of
Rondônia is named after him. He was made
Marshal, the highest military rank in Brazil.