Geneva, 15 July 2026. The Cuban delegation to the 19th session of the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples today paid well-deserved tribute to the work of the distinguished Cuban jurist, diplomat, and academic Miguel Alfonso Martínez, who devoted a significant part of his life to defending the just cause of Indigenous Peoples in international forums.
In her statement, Cuban diplomat Aimé Triana Sevajanes recalled the fundamental role played by Professor Miguel Alfonso in the drafting of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, whose adoption by the UN General Assembly in 2007 marked a historic milestone for the United Nations and one of the greatest achievements in the struggle for the recognition of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The Cuban representative emphasized that, as Chair of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations, the body in which the Declaration was negotiated, Miguel Alfonso was a tireless advocate for the codification of minimum standards to guarantee the dignity, well-being, and the individual and collective rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Miguel Alfonso Martínez was a founding member of the National Union of Cuban Jurists and taught for many years at the University of Havana and the Higher Institute of International Relations (ISRI).
He also served as President of the Cuban Society of International Law and of the Advisory Committee of the United Nations Human Rights Council. In addition, he was appointed United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Study on Treaties, Agreements and Other Constructive Arrangements between States and Indigenous Populations, and also served as spokesperson for Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The legacy of the "Profe," as he was affectionately known by all, remains very much alive during the commemorations marking the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.