Born in Madrid (Spain) in 1935.

Graduate in Law. Entered the Diplomatic Corps in 1965. He has held several positions in the Spanish diplomatic missions in Bangkok, Paris and Hong Kong. Likewise, he was appointed Director of the Diplomatic Information Office in 1978, Spanish Ambassador to Guatemala and Sweden, Spanish Consul General in New York (1981-1983), and in Montpellier.

He was also Director for North American Affairs within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before being appointed the Secretary General for Foreign Policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He was Special Representative of the Spanish President in charge of the Alliance of Civilisations project.

Máximo Cajal has written the following books: "¡Saber quién puso fuego allí!. Masacre en la embajada de España en Guatemala" (Siddharth Mehta, 1999) and
"Ceuta y Melilla, Olivenza y Gibraltar. ¿Dónde acaba España?" (Siglo XXI, 2003).

He is member of the Advisory Committee of FRIDE.