Mario was born in the Dominican Republic. He first studied Agronomy and later pursued studies in Philosophy, Human Rights, Theology, and Sociology. He is currently working for a program that promotes civic ethics, and has also worked on projects which promote social and human rights for migrants and women. Additionally, he has participated in various social movements in the Dominican Republic to influence social policies and defend the human rights of Haitian immigrants. He has been part of the Jesuit community for 32 years and is married, and has 15 siblings.