Benito Martínez
Encyclopedia
Benito Martínez Abrogán (June 19, 1880/1905/1911 – October 11, 2006) was a native of Cuba
who claimed to be the world's oldest living person
. He claimed to have been born on June 19, 1880, near Cavaellon
, Haiti
; however, he had no documents to verify this and was thus never an officially eligible candidate for this record. The Cuban government sent officials to Haiti to investigate, but found nothing to either prove or disprove the claim. Cuban government medical experts attested that he was at least 119 years old at the time of his death, but the reasons for this determination were never presented.
of Cuban president Fidel Castro
. He was nicknamed, “El Avión” (the aeroplane), for the speed at which he worked as he helped to construct the original highway across Cuba. He later settled in a small farming community outside Ciego de Avila
, where he lived out his days as a perpetual bachelor
. He attributed his longevity to a healthy diet of rice
and fresh vegetables and the occasional alcoholic beverage
. Mr. Martínez also said the secret to his long life was that, "he had never cheated a man or said bad things of other people."
as food was rationed
. He ate mostly starchy cassava
and sweet potatoes cooked in pork fat
. Only in the last twenty years of his life did he give up smoking
. His first doctor's visit was not until he was around 115. The only time he went to the hospital was a few days before he died.
(August 15, 1890 – December 11, 2006), an African-American woman aged 116. Nonetheless, Abrogan maintained his claim until his death, and in his later years was the star attraction of the country's recently formed 120-Club, an organization promoting healthy lives for Cuba's senior citizens.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
who claimed to be the world's oldest living person
Oldest people
This is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
. He claimed to have been born on June 19, 1880, near Cavaellon
Cavaellon
Cavaellon is a rural town located in the Sud Department of Haiti.Its nearest neighbouring towns/cities are Nan Cotie , Saint-Louis-du-Sud , and Les Cayes ....
, Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
; however, he had no documents to verify this and was thus never an officially eligible candidate for this record. The Cuban government sent officials to Haiti to investigate, but found nothing to either prove or disprove the claim. Cuban government medical experts attested that he was at least 119 years old at the time of his death, but the reasons for this determination were never presented.
Early life
Martínez has papers proving he came to Cuba via steamship in the 1920s, but his age at the time was not recorded. Initially he found employment on the family ranchRanch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
of Cuban president Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
. He was nicknamed, “El Avión” (the aeroplane), for the speed at which he worked as he helped to construct the original highway across Cuba. He later settled in a small farming community outside Ciego de Avila
Ciego de Ávila
Ciego de Ávila is a city in the central part of Cuba and the capital of Ciego de Ávila Province. The city has a population of about 86,100.Ciego de Ávila lies on the Carretera Central highway and on a major railroad. Its port, Júcaro, lies south-southwest on the coast of the Gulf of Ana Maria in...
, where he lived out his days as a perpetual bachelor
Bachelor
A bachelor is a man above the age of majority who has never been married . Unlike his female counterpart, the spinster, a bachelor may have had children...
. He attributed his longevity to a healthy diet of rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
and fresh vegetables and the occasional alcoholic beverage
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
. Mr. Martínez also said the secret to his long life was that, "he had never cheated a man or said bad things of other people."
Personal life
He never owned a car. He always walked, rode a bike or took the bus. Hobbies included breeding fighting cocks, growing bananas and dancing. He rarely over ateCalorie restriction
Caloric restriction , or calorie restriction, is a dietary regimen that restricts calorie intake, where the baseline for the restriction varies, usually being the previous, unrestricted, intake of the subjects...
as food was rationed
Rationing
Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services. Rationing controls the size of the ration, one's allotted portion of the resources being distributed on a particular day or at a particular time.- In economics :...
. He ate mostly starchy cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
and sweet potatoes cooked in pork fat
Lard
Lard is pig fat in both its rendered and unrendered forms. Lard was commonly used in many cuisines as a cooking fat or shortening, or as a spread similar to butter. Its use in contemporary cuisine has diminished because of health concerns posed by its saturated-fat content and its often negative...
. Only in the last twenty years of his life did he give up smoking
Tobacco smoking
Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...
. His first doctor's visit was not until he was around 115. The only time he went to the hospital was a few days before he died.
Controversy
No actual record exists of either his birth or his life prior to his immigration to Cuba, making him ineligible for consideration for the title of oldest living person, by the Guinness Book of World Records, held at the time of his death by Elizabeth BoldenElizabeth Bolden
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden was an American supercentenarian woman who, at the time of her death at age 116 years and 118 days, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the then world's oldest living person. She was the last remaining documented person born in 1890. Bolden was the seventh...
(August 15, 1890 – December 11, 2006), an African-American woman aged 116. Nonetheless, Abrogan maintained his claim until his death, and in his later years was the star attraction of the country's recently formed 120-Club, an organization promoting healthy lives for Cuba's senior citizens.