Is the secret of longevity hidden in the Peruvian Andes?

This is the claim of the Peruvian authorities, who are eager to prove that Marcelino Abad Tolentino celebrated his 124th birthday on April 5 and therefore should be recognized as the oldest person in the world.

In such an event, Marcelino Abad Tolentino will also be declared the oldest person to have ever lived whose age has been independently verified.

In the tranquility of the countryside, in the province of Huanuco, Peru, “Marcelino Abad Tolentino or ‘Masico’ acquired a healthy lifestyle and found inner peace, which is reflected in his good health and friendly demeanor,” said a statement from Peruvian authorities who explained that they are assisting Abad in submitting an application to the Guinness World Records committee for confirmation of his data.

A spokesman for the committee told the Reuters news agency that applications are often submitted by the elderly claiming the title of the world’s oldest person. Verification is usually a time-consuming process that involves checking documents and other evidence so that any record is ‘beyond reasonable doubt’.

A 111-year-old British man has been named the world’s oldest man in the Guinness Book of Records, following the recent death of a 114-year-old Venezuelan. The title of oldest is held by a 117-year-old woman. The oldest person who ever lived – according to the Guinness Book of Records – was a French woman, Jeanne Calman, who died in 1997 at the age of 122 years and 164 days.

What is the secret of Marcelino Abad Tolentino’s longevity?

According to the presentation of his nomination for the Guinness Book of Records, he used to chew coca leaves – a favorite habit of the indigenous people of the Andes – while his diet was rich in fruit and lamb.