BIOGRAPHY

Dolores María Vázquez was born in Natá, Coclé Province, Panama, on 1 May 1911, to parents José Aeno Vázquez and Genoveva Díaz. She described her birthplace, then a small village, as a bleak and unattractive place when she was eight years old—a field with grassy, muddy, and stony paths, where houses were built from mud, straw, and tiles. She recalled the ditches that would fill with water whenever it rained.

In July 1933, at the age of 22, she married José Juventino Martínez, with whom she had only one daughter but raised five more children (three girls and two boys). Her husband passed away at the age of 85.

Lola, as she was affectionately called by her friends and family, was described as an exemplary, selfless, and incredibly helpful woman. She would cook in a small pot yet feed many, driven purely by her generosity. She was also known as a healer, often sought out by those who came to her for home remedies whenever they felt unwell.

Dolores María Vázquez passed away in Natá, Coclé Province, on 23 October 2024, at the age of 113 years, 175 days.

RECOGNITION

On 5 May 2021, her age was validated by the Latin American Supercentenarians (LAS).

On 26 March 2022, following the death of 112-year-old Marcelina Araúz de Maure, she became the oldest known living person in Panama.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Lo más lindo que veremos hoy.” – A Lo Panameño, 2 May 2021

* “Dolores Vásquez de Martínez: Recuerdos de Natá de los Caballeros en más de un siglo de vida” – Panamá América, 20 May 2022

GALLERY