BIOGRAPHY

José Guillermo Mogollón Muñoz was born in Zarumilla, Tumbes Department, Peru, on 11 June 1910.

At some point, he got married and went on to have seven children. He was a veteran of the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War of 1941, specifically the Battle of Zarumilla (23-31 July 1941). At that time, he lived on the Ecuadorian side of the border. He claimed that Ecuadorian troops stormed the area, searching for and detaining Peruvians whom they accused of being spies. Along with some friends, he organized a defense, helping several compatriots flee. Not content with just this action, he volunteered for the Peruvian Armed Forces to help repel the attack. After the victory in the battle and completing his service, he devoted himself to agriculture and his family.

In September 2016, the Minister of Defense, Mariano González, awarded the ‘Peruvian Army’ Medal in the city of Tumbes to him and nine other ex-combatants who had participated in the battle of Zarumilla. On 24 July 2019, he was honored by the Provincial Municipality of Zarumilla during the annual “Battle of Zarumilla” ceremony. He arrived at the event with a cane for support, refusing to use a wheelchair. Accompanied by his granddaughter, he made his way to the podium, where Mayor Christian Palacios instructed that he be given a place in the front row of the grandstand to better appreciate the parade. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he spent his days cloistered at home and remained uninfected by the virus.

José Guillermo Mogollón Muñoz passed away of natural causes in Zarumilla, Tumbes Department, Peru, on 12 February 2021, at the age of 110 years, 246 days. According to his granddaughter, he remained lucid until the day he passed. He had dinner as usual, but the next morning, when they went to wake him, they found him lifeless in his bed.

RECOGNITION

His age was verified by an anonymous researcher and Stefan Maglov, and validated by LongeviQuest on 26 June 2024. His age was previously listed as a pending validation by the Latin American Supercentenarians (LAS) as of 8 March 2021.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Tumbesinos conmemoran el 72° aniversario de la batalla de Zarumilla” – Agencia Peruana de Noticias | ANDINA, 24 July 2013

* “Ministro de Defensa condecoró a excombatientes de campaña de 1941” – RPP, 9 September 2016

* “Tumbes: Ex combatiente del 41 asistió con sus 110 años al día Nacional de la Batalla de Zarumilla” – El Cholo, 28 July 2019

* “Tumbes: A los 110 años fallece excombatiente de la batalla de 1941 en Zarumilla” – RPP, 13 February 2021

GALLERY