Juambi Cabrera dies after a life devoted to education, solidarity and the defence of human rights

Fuerteventura is mourning Juan Valentín Cabrera Rodríguez, known as Juambi Cabrera, as he preferred, a teacher and activist who was one of the island’s most steadfast voices in support of the Sahrawi people, Palestine, human rights and solidarity between peoples. He also championed community action and the preservation of culture.

His death leaves a profound void among those who shared years of teaching, social activism, cultural work and civic participation with him.

Born in La Matilla in 1960, Juambi spent his first fifteen years in El Aaiún. After the Green March and the occupation of Western Sahara, he returned to Fuerteventura, where he completed his secondary education before studying to become a teacher in Las Palmas.

Education became an essential part of his life. For decades, he worked as a teacher and saw the classroom not only as a place to impart knowledge, but also to help develop critical thinking, social awareness and respect for others.

His vocation as a teacher went hand in hand with a lasting commitment to solidarity.

Juambi Cabrera was closely involved with Sahara Fuerte and for years was one of the most recognisable faces in Fuerteventura in the campaign for the rights of the Sahrawi people. His personal connection with the Sahara and his knowledge of the territory informed an appeal he pursued throughout almost his entire life. This summer, once again, he coordinated the presence on the island of Sahrawi children taking part in the Vacaciones en Paz programme.

He also made the cause of the Palestinian people his own. He took part in demonstrations and public events, and spoke frequently in the media, denouncing human rights violations and calling for a response from the international community.

He was a regular presence at Entre Mares’ vigils when migrants died at sea, offering steadfast support that was highly valued by the various organisations working in the field of human rights.

A regular voice on La Voz de Fuerteventura

Juambi Cabrera appeared many times on discussion programmes and in interviews on La Voz de Fuerteventura, on Radio Insular.

One of his main concerns in recent years was the inability of international organisations to respond to the conflicts in the Sahara and Palestine.

“We are living through a period in history when the supranational organisations that should impose order on the world have lost much of their credibility, and have also become less effective,” he warned.

His view of both conflicts rested on the same principle: the defence of human rights above political, economic or geostrategic interests.

He was also particularly critical of the suffering of the Palestinian population. In another public appearance, he summed up his position in a forceful sentence: “If we do not act, we are complicit.”

But Juambi’s commitment extended far beyond major international causes.

He was deeply connected to Fuerteventura and Tetir, and to the defence of traditional culture and Canarian identity.

For decades, he took part in the Agrupación Folclórica de Tetir and was actively involved in community work through the residents’ association. He also contributed to development aid projects in African countries such as Gambia and Mauritania.

A teacher, activist and defender of Majorero culture, he was above all a person deeply committed to others.

Juambi Cabrera leaves behind a life’s work shaped by education and solidarity, and a way of living that never allowed him to remain indifferent to injustice.

Today, Fuerteventura loses one of those voices that always stood with people who needed to be heard.

Today, Fuerteventura mourns Juambi Cabrera.