Jose Flores, a 119-year-old resident of Costa Rica, could soon be officially recognized as the oldest living person in the world as an international review of his birth date gets underway. The centenarian lives in the town of Sardinal on the Nicoya Peninsula in western Costa Rica, according to Reuters.
International organizations, including Guinness World Records, are currently reviewing official records to confirm the date of his birth. If his age is validated, Flores will eclipse the current documented record holder.
Jorge Vindas, founder of the Nicoya Peninsula Blue Zone Association, said researchers have compiled an extensive paper trail to support the claim. He explained that the record keepers possess documents ranging from Flores' birth and baptism certificates to records from his middle age as a father and his later years. Vindas added that his organization expects positive news once international evaluators finish examining the files.
The centenarian's family is awaiting the final verification decision. His granddaughter Hellen Flores said that official recognition would bring immense pride not only to their immediate relatives but to all of Costa Rica.
Verification of birth documents
The current titleholder for the world's oldest living person is British citizen Ethel Caterham, who was born in Hampshire, England, on August 21, 1909. Caterham, who turned 117 in 2026, became the recognized record holder following the death of Brazilian nun Ina Canabarro Lucas in April 2025. Age validation procedures for supercentenarians typically require rigorous scrutiny of historical registry entries, church archives, and government records by demographers and verification agencies such as Guinness World Records.
Flores has built a large family over his long lifetime. He raised eight children and is now the patriarch to 23 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter.
Life in the Nicoya Blue Zone
Flores lives on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula, a region famous among longevity researchers as one of the world's five designated Blue Zones. These geographical areas are noted for populations that live significantly longer and healthier lives than average, with an unusually high proportion of residents reaching their 100th birthday. Costa Rica is a Central American nation known for its strong social infrastructure and high quality of life.
Local residents attribute the remarkable longevity in Sardinal to several environmental and lifestyle factors. They point to drinking water enriched with natural calcium and magnesium, a daily diet centered around corn and beans, consistent physical labor, and tight-knit family and community support systems.
Flores himself outlined three personal principles that he credited for his extreme longevity. He said the secret to living nearly twelve decades consists of working hard, placing trust in God, and eating healthy food.
