[1][2] At fourteen years old, Muñoz Mariño lost his father, and moved with his family to Quito where they faced a tough economic situation.
At the Mejia School, one of the most notable learning institutions in Quito, Professor José Enrique Guerrero had great influence on Muñoz Mariño with his style.
He was fascinated with the city, and having just graduated from high school, he got a job at Tucker Mc Klure, which was in charge of building the roads between Guayaquil-Salinas, and between Quito-Esmeraldas.
In 1974, he worked on the project Huayra Huanca (El origen del tiempo), which was commissioned by the Mexican government in accordance with a proposal by Oswaldo Guayasamín.
But in 1965, he won the first prize in the Annual Watercolor Exhibition in the College of Architects of Mexico, which opened the door to fame.