Lucio Chiquito Caicedo, the oldest known living man in Colombia, passed away today in Medellín, Antioquia, at the age of 110 years, 175 days.
Lucio Chiquito Caicedo was born on 22 May 1916 in Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. From a young age, he displayed intellectual discipline and a strong inclination toward the exact sciences. He completed his secondary studies at the historic Colegio Santa Librada in Cali, where he received an education influenced by European teachers who instilled in him academic rigor. He later received a scholarship from the Governor of Valle del Cauca, which allowed him to move to Medellín to study civil engineering at the National University of Colombia, Medellín campus, where he graduated in 1941.
In the early 1940s, he traveled to the United Kingdom to continue his studies at the University of Manchester. There, he pursued advanced studies in science and technology with an emphasis on hydraulics, amidst the context of World War II. In 1947, he earned his master’s degree, an experience that solidified his reputation as one of the best-educated Colombian engineers of his generation.
Upon returning to Colombia, he was a founding partner and participant in the creation of important institutions, including Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM), the engineering firm Integral S.A., Sedic S.A., Camacol (Colombian Chamber of Construction), and the School of Engineering of Antioquia. These entities played a decisive role in the expansion of infrastructure, construction, public services, and the training of engineers in the region.
In October 1948, he married Ofelia Ramirez Jaramillo, they had six children, whom would later give him 12 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Their marriage lasted for 67 years before his wife died in 2015.
Following the passing of 110-year-old Adolfo Camacho Ripoll on 23 December 2025, he became the nation’s oldest known living man.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Lucio Chiquito Caicedo during this difficult time.
