Alcalay graduated from the Andrés Bello Catholic University School of Law in Caracas in 1970.

[1] In May 2001, Alcalay became Venezuela's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and presented his credentials to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

[4] Alcalay was also elected Chairman of the United Nations Committee on Information that month.

[1] In 2001 he was the Vice Chairman of the Disarmament and International Security Committee of the UN General Assembly's 56th Session.

[8] Alcalay has published seven books and a number of articles on human rights, the illicit drug trade, democracy for Latin America, and diplomatic issues, and is a columnist for Diario La Verdad.