Jose Flores of Sardinal, Costa Rica, is reported by family records to have been born on July 11, 1907, making him 119 and a candidate for the world's oldest man pending international verification. Officials and local researchers are compiling and reviewing historical documents — from birth and baptismal records to later-life papers — for authentication. Flores lives in the Nicoya Peninsula, a noted "Blue Zone," where diet, mineral-rich water, physical activity and strong social ties are credited with boosting longevity. His family says official recognition would be a source of national and familial pride.
Costa Rican, 119, Seeks Recognition as World's Oldest Man — Family and Records Await Verification
Jose Flores, a former farmer whose family says he is 119 years old and could be recognized as the world's oldest living man, pending verification of his birth date, sits at his home in Sardinal, Costa Rica, September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Mayela Lopez
In a modest wooden house in Sardinal, a 20-minute drive from Costa Rica's Pacific coast, Jose Flores spends his days napping, eating meals prepared by his granddaughter and occasionally arm-wrestling with her.
According to his identity card and family records, Flores was born on July 11, 1907, which would make him 119 years old. If international authorities validate the documentation, he would be recognized as the world's oldest man. Specialists are reviewing historical records — including a birth certificate, baptismal records and later-life documents — as part of a formal verification process that may involve organizations such as Guinness World Records.
Sardinal sits on the Nicoya Peninsula, one of five regions globally identified as "Blue Zones," where people commonly live longer, healthier lives. Local experts and residents attribute longevity to mineral-rich water high in calcium and magnesium, a simple diet based on corn and beans, regular physical labor, strong family and community ties, spirituality and low-stress routines.
"Without love, without affection, without care, he would not still be here," said Hellen Flores, Jose's granddaughter and primary caregiver. She described him as living "calmly and happily," recounting memories and telling jokes while crediting family support for his long life.
Jorge Vindas, founder of the Nicoya Peninsula Blue Zone Association, said the group has compiled a wide range of documents to support Flores' claim but stressed that international validation is still pending. "Once all that documentation is reviewed, we hope it will be validated and that we will have good news soon," he said.
Flores fathered eight children and today has 23 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter. His family says official recognition would be a source of pride both for them and for Costa Rica.
As the verification continues, the current recognised world's oldest living person is Ethel Caterham of Britain, born August 21, 1909, who turned 117 in 2026. She assumed the title after the death of Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas in April 2025.
(Reporting by Maynor Valenzuela in Sardinal and Diego Ore in Mexico City; additional reporting by Álvaro Murillo and Rodolfo Peña; edited by Michael Perry.)
Jose Flores, a former farmer whose family says he is 119 years old and could be recognized as the world's oldest living man pending verification of his birth date, holds a photograph of the first identity card issued to him in 1977, at his home in Sardinal, Costa Rica, September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Mayela Lopez
Jose Flores, a former farmer whose family says he is 119 years old and could be recognized as the world's oldest living man, pending verification of his birth date, eats at his home in Sardinal, Costa Rica, September 6, 2026. REUTERS/Mayela Lopez
Jose Flores, a former farmer whose family says he is 119 years old and could be recognized as the world's oldest living man, pending verification of his birth date, sits at his home in Sardinal, Costa Rica, September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Mayela Lopez
Jose Flores, a former farmer whose family says he is 119 years old and could be recognized as the world's oldest living man, pending verification of his birth date, sits at his home in Sardinal, Costa Rica, September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Mayela Lopez
Jose Flores, a former farmer whose family says he is 119 years old and could be recognized as the world's oldest living man pending verification of his birth date, and his granddaughter, Hellen Flores, give a thumbs-up as she pushes him in a wheelchair near their home in Sardinal, Costa Rica, September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Mayela Lopez
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