Cabello was born in Moquegua in 1811 and studied in Paris, France.
In 1858, Cabello assumed the role of Chief Cosmographer (Cosmógrafo Mayor) of the Republic of Peru, succeeding Eduardo Carrasco Toro.
Cabello was the second-to-last person to hold this position, which originated during the Viceroyalty but had become obsolete by the mid-19th century.
During his tenure, he oversaw the elimination of the section dedicated to recording meteorological observations made in Lima.
In 1860, Cabello was elected a member of the Constituent Congress of 1860 [es], representing the province of Moquegua in the Department of Moquegua, which issued the Political Constitution of Peru of 1860, the longest-lasting constitution in Peru's history.