On July 11, 2026, José Flores Flores marked his 119th birthday in a modest wooden house in Obandito de Sardinal, Costa Rica. Official records from the country’s civil registry list his birth as July 11, 1907. A baptismal certificate from 1907 also supports his age and places his origins in Guanacaste, on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. Researchers, including gerontologist José Antonio Rabadán of the University of Alicante, have reviewed the documentation. The case is under review by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG), which specializes in verifying the ages of supercentenarians. A locally recorded birth date and recognition by international longevity organizations are distinct milestones: the latter requires examination of documentary records and a person’s life history. If confirmed, Flores’s age would put him ahead of the living supercentenarians recognized at the time of his birthday.
Flores’s circumstances changed on October 23, 2026, when Costa Rican President Laura Fernández handed him the keys to a newly built home in Playones, in the Sardinal district. The 63-square-metre residence was financed through Costa Rica’s national housing-finance system, with the Banco Hipotecario de la Vivienda (BANHVI) among the participating institutions. The house was designed to support independent living, with adaptations for mobility and thermal comfort that also address physical safety. It marks a large change after years in precarious housing on land Flores did not own. BANHVI manager Walter Muñoz said the design was intended to help prevent accidents and support Flores’s daily well-being.
Life Shaped by Hardship
Before moving into the new home, Flores lived in a wooden house with a tin roof and relied on the care of his granddaughter Hellen, who is training to become a professional caregiver. Despite hearing loss and knee problems that require a walker, he remains active: he greets visitors with a firm handshake and plays dominoes. He also enjoys traditional breakfasts of gallo pinto, fresh cheese and fried plantain. He still steps outside to feel the breeze and listen to the local parrots.
Poverty has been a constant companion since childhood. Raised by his grandmother after his mother left and his father died, Flores began working in the fields as a boy and later moved to banana plantations in the south. He never managed to buy his own land. Even when the state considered granting him a plot at age 75, doubts about his ability to work it prevented the offer from materializing. The family currently survives on about 150,000 colones a month, roughly $330. Flores sums up his approach to life simply: “Work hard, trust in God, and eat healthy.”
Experts Seek Longevity Clues
Researchers are examining Flores’s lifestyle for clues to his longevity. Jorge Vindas, founder of the Asociación Península de Nicoya Zona Azul, points to physical activity and an unprocessed diet, along with close family and community ties. He also notes the role of sunlight and spirituality among rural generations. Although Flores spent much of his life outside Guanacaste and returned only in 2024, his habits reflect several traits associated with the region’s famed longevity.
Rabadán cautions against attributing Flores’s age to a single factor. Genetics matter alongside nutrition, while exercise and social connections also shape longevity; no one explanation suffices. Flores was still walking nearly a kilometer daily at age 113 to attend a senior center. Rabadán, who has visited more than 70 centenarians in Guanacaste, describes Flores’s physical condition as exceptional. The search for answers echoes stories like that of Anna Possi, who continues to run her Italian café at 101 and credits her routine and simple lifestyle for her vitality, a story detailed here.
Potential to Reshape World Records
As of July 31, 2026, Guinness World Records recognized Ethel Caterham of the UK, born August 21, 1909, as the oldest living person at 116. The GRG also listed her at the top of its validated rankings. If Flores’s 1907 birth is confirmed, his reported age of 119 would change the global longevity rankings. The all-time record remains with Jeanne Calment, who died at 122 years and 164 days. The distinction between a birth date recorded by national authorities and an age validated by specialist organizations is basic to these rankings.
Flores’s story also highlights demographic shifts in Costa Rica, where life expectancy stands at 83.7 years for women and 78.6 for men, while the fertility rate is 1.1 children per woman. These trends are increasing demand for family and professional elder care. His granddaughter and daughter share caregiving duties with his great-grandson, keeping Flores at the center of family life and decision-making. The new accessible home adds practical support as researchers continue examining the records behind his reported age.
