Juan Vicente Perez Mora, the Venezuelan man recognized by Guinness World Records (GWR) as the world's oldest man, has died at the age of 114, two months before his 115th birthday.
His remarkable journey through life spanned across significant historical epochs, including two World Wars and the recent global pandemic.
A Life Well-Lived
Born on May 27, 1909, in Venezuela, Juan attributed his long life to "working hard, resting on holidays, going to bed early, drinking a glass of aguardiente every day, loving God, and always carrying him in his heart," as documented by GWR.
Throughout his life, Juan was a devoted family man.
He was married to Ediofina del Rosario Garcia for 60 years until her death in 1997.
Together, they raised a large family of 11 children, who further expanded the family tree to include 42 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren.
Tributes Pour In
Freddy Bernal, the governor of Tachira, where Juan lived, expressed his condolences on X, saying, "With deep sadness and pain we say goodbye to Juan Vicente Perez Mora, an archetype of a man from Tachira, humble, hard-working, peaceful, enthusiastic about family and tradition. He will always be a symbol of goodness, wisdom, and joy."
President Nicolas Maduro also paid tribute, emphasizing Juan's contributions to the Venezuelan community: "Juan Vicente Perez Mora has transcended into eternity at 114 years old. I send my hugs and condolences to his family and to all the people of El Cobre, Tachira state."
"It’s been an honour to recognise and celebrate the incredible long life of Venezuela’s first-ever fully authenticated supercentenarian man... Not only was Sr Perez Mora his country's oldest citizen and the first South American recognized by GWR as the oldest living man, he is now history’s fourth oldest male whose age has been officially ratified," stated Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief at GWR.
