Talk:Benito Martínez Abrogán

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Benito Martínez Abrogán could be the longest lived person ever. Estimates are that he had lived for between 119-126 years.

Celebrated his birthdays on June 19th, but is not certian that that is the exact day. On that day in 2005, he declared, “I am the oldest person in the world.” Martínez claimed to have been born in 1880. He died on October 11, 2006. He said the secret to his long life was that, "he had never cheated a man or said bad things of other people."

Mr. Martínez was born near Cavaellon, Haiti and immigrated to Cuba in 1925. Cuban identity papers can confirm this. Unfortunately his age on arrival was uncertain. The Cuban government wanted to confirm his age, so they sent officials to Haiti to investigate, but they found nothing. Mr Martínez's oldest neighbours attested that he had always been the most elderly person they knew. The government concluded that Martínez was around 119.

Lived in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. He was a labourer. Nicknamed, “El Avión” (the aeroplane) for the speed at which he worked. At one time he worked on Fidel Castro's father's ranch cutting sugar cane. He helped build the Carretera Central (Central highway). He never owned a car. He always walked, rode a bike or took the bus. Hobbies included breeding fighting cocks, growing bananas and dancing. Martínez never married, but over his lifetime had many girlfriends. He rarely over ate 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.

His one unfulfilled desire was to shake Fidel Castro's hand.

As of 2006 the Guinness Book of Records had not recognized Martínez's claim.