Carmelo Flores Laura

Carmelo Flores Laura (likely born July 16, 1906 – June 9, 2014)[1] was a centenarian from Bolivia, who some believed to be born in 1890. That would have made him the person living to be the oldest ever known. However, other documents was found, that indicated he was actually born in 1906. Flores himself only said that he was about 100 years or more, which in that case was correct.

Carmelo Flores Laura
BornJuly 16, 1906
DiedJune 9, 2014(2014-06-09) (aged 107)
Bolivia
Known forSome believed that he was 123 years in 2013, which was likely wrong
Spouse(s)Deceased
Children3

Laura was born on July 16, 1906 in Bolivia.[1]

Carmelo Flores Laura worked for the rancher who owned Frasquia, a rural area of Bolivia near Lake Titicaca, until 1952. At that time, the government seized the land and redistributed it to peasants such as Flores. He has lived there since, never traveling father than La Paz, 80 kilometres (50 mi) from his home.[2]

Flores had three children, one of which is alive as of 2013 (Cecilio, aged 67). He has 40 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. His wife died in the 2000s.[2]

The Bolivian government was said to be planning to officially honor Flores as "a living heritage" of the Bolivian people.[3]

A police ID card and entry in the civil registry stating Flores was born on July 16, 1890 were shown to reporters.[2][4] The longest fully documented lifespan in history is 122 years and 164 days, achieved by France's Jeanne Calment.[2]

Flores himself only said "I should be about 100 years old or more," when asked about his age.[2] The Gerontology Research Group found a baptismal certificate that indicated Flores was actually 107 years rather than 123.[3]

Laura died in an Andean village in Bolivia, aged 107.[5]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Is this the world's oldest man? Bolivian herder's records show he was born in 1890". Dailymail.uk.co. 15 August 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Bolivian records show a 123-year-old man there is the oldest living person documented". USA Today. August 14, 2013. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/08/14/bolivia-oldest-man/2656247/. Retrieved August 15, 2013. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 Gloria Carrasco; Rafael Romo (August 21, 2013). Is this Bolivian man the oldest person in the world?. CNN. http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/19/world/americas/bolivia-oldest-person. Retrieved August 23, 2013. 
  4. "World's oldest man living in Bolivia?". BBC News.com. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  5. "Bolivian man said to be 123 years old dies in Andean village". Archived from the original on 2014-07-12. Retrieved 2014-06-11.