Antonio Núñez Jiménez, Cuban explorer and scientist, dies

Antonio Núñez Jiménez, a prominent Cuban figure and founder of the Cuban Speleological Society, passed away in Havana on September 13, 1998.

Jiménez held diverse roles throughout his life, including serving as a Captain of the Rebel Army under Ernesto Che Guevara during the 1958 Liberation Campaign in central Cuba. He was highly educated, holding doctorates in Philosophy and Letters from the University of Havana and in Geographical Sciences from Lomonosov Moscow State University.

A dedicated explorer, he conducted expeditions to the North Pole, Antarctica, the Andes, China, Africa, and the Galapagos Islands. His professional career included serving as the Director of the National Institute of Agrarian Reform, Ambassador to Peru, and President of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba.