The world’s oldest man has revealed the secret of his longevity.
Juan Vicente Perez Mora, from Venezuela, who was born before World War Two on 27 May, 1909, believes his longevity is down to some habits he keeps.
Perez Mora married Ediofina del Rosario García who died in 1997 after six decades. Together, they had 11 children, 41 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren.
Perez Mora credits his long life to four factors: praying twice a day, working hard, getting into bed early, and drinking a cup of aguardiente, an anise-flavoured liquor.
Apart from slightly elevated blood pressure and deteriorated sense of hearing, Perez Mora is otherwise in very good health, and likely has a few more years yet, his physician Enrique Guzman said.
Mora’s doctor said: “He seems totally fine to me. He has a good heart. He does have changes due to his age, but he does not require long-term intervention or treatment.
“I consider that with his activity, with his hygiene and with his diet, he is a person who I think will live to see more years.”
Daughter Nelyda Perez said: “My dad is in very good health. He does not suffer from any disease that requires medical treatment.
“The next day after resting, he says he wakes up very well. The whole family is very grateful for my daddy’s health.”
Perez Mora, one of 10 children, was born in the town of El Cobre in Tachira, but his family soon moved to the village of Los Pajuiles, San Jose de Bolivar.
When he was barely five years old, he joined his brothers and dad to work on a farm where they harvested sugar cane and coffee.
He did not attend school until he was 10, only to stop five months after when his teacher fell ill, according to Guinness World Records.
But he was gifted a book with which he taught himself how to read and write.
The great-great-grandfather went on to work as a sheriff in the town of Caricuena for 10 years, becoming Venezuela’s first male supercentenarian when he celebrated his 110th birthday in 2019.
He became the world’s oldest person after Saturnino de la Fuenta Garcia – who was born on 11 February, 1909, in Spain – died at the age of 112 years and 341 days in January.
