Elcira Arteaga García

BIOGRAPHY

Elcira Arteaga García was born on 19 September 1907 (claimed 22 September). Her parents were Timoteo Arteaga and Rosa García. She was the eldest of eleven siblings—five daughters and six sons—including Raúl, Hugo, David, and Erlan.

At around 18 years old, she completed her training as an elementary school teacher and moved to Arque to fulfill the mandatory provincial teaching requirement. She shared that she loved welcoming the children and teaching them how to read and write. She became a teacher after finishing what was then considered high school in Bolivia—which, at the time, consisted only of the six grades of primary school. She then went on to attend the normal school for teacher training. She recalled attending several schools during her early education: she began kindergarten at the American Institute, completed first grade at a public school run by Adela Zamudio, and later continued at the Achá School.

At some point, she met and married César Arzabe Reque. When he left to fight in the Chaco War (1932–1935), she remained at home with their two children, Wilde and Hilda. Just days before the war ended, he returned home, having spent a year at the front. They had 11 children in total, six of whom were alive as of February 2011.

Both she and her husband, César, met Germán Busch (1903–1939), the 36th President of Bolivia, in the town of Arque when they were both under the age of 20. Like her, César worked at the local school. She recalled meeting Busch during his visits to Arque while he was a student at the Military Academy, as he often spent his vacations there. According to her, they had casual conversations during that time.

Even in her centenarian years, she was described as tall and slender, with completely white hair and blue eyes—though her eyesight had diminished. She continued to wear her pearl necklace, perfectly matching her dress and nail color. Personal grooming remained an important part of her life, even in her later years.

At the age of 103, she had 18 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-grandchildren (with one more on the way).

Elcira Arteaga García passed away in the city of Cochabamba, on 22 September 2017, at the age of 110 years, 3 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by Stefan Maglov, and listed as a pending validation by the Latin American Supercentenarians (LAS) as of 7 September 2022.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Centenarios relatan cómo vieron Bolivia” – Los Tiempos, 6 February 2011

GALLERY

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