BIOGRAPHY

María Mojica Torres was born in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, on 22 August 1903. Her parents were Galo Mojica and Inés Peñalver.

She claimed to have worked as a cook for Luis Muñoz Marín, Puerto Rico’s first elected governor, who served for 16 years. She said she voted for him in the election and described him as a very good man. According to her, he would return home from the countryside with his horse and kettle, and she always had a small plate of fried bacon ready for him—his favorite, she said. She also reportedly worked as a cook for former governor Carlos Romero Barceló.

When asked about the secret to her longevity, she replied: “You eat a good plate of rice with Diablo brand beans, a nice salad with some shredded meat on the side, and I assure you, you’ll live a long time.” She added that she occasionally ate meat, chicken, and salad. Her fortifying menu also included suckling pig, blood sausage, curd, and plantains.

In May 2012, on what she claimed to be her 117th birthday (though she was actually 108), Mayor Aníbal Vega Borges presented María with a congratulatory proclamation. She was joined by family members at a ceremony held at her residence. Mayor Vega Borges stated that arrangements had been made with Guinness World Records to certify María as the oldest woman in Puerto Rico and in the world. However, at the time, due to insufficient documentation, her age was not officially validated or debunked by any organization that verifies supercentenarian claims. At the time, she commented, “I have no vices and never have. All my life, all I did was work, and I love to cook.”

María Mojica Torres passed away at 10:45 a.m. on 30 April 2014, at her home in the Candelaria neighborhood of Toa Baja. María was survived by her niece, Rita Mojica Laureano, who was nearly 80 years old at the time.

RECOGNITION

She claimed to have been born on 3 May 1895, which would have made her 118 years and 362 days old at the time of her passing. Had this been accurate, she would have been the world’s oldest living person and the third-oldest person ever recorded.

However, research conducted by LongeviQuest concluded that this was most likely a case of identity swap. This suggests that, at some point in her life, a birth or baptismal record—most likely that of her older sister—was mistakenly attributed to her.

Further investigation by LongeviQuest determined that her actual date of birth was more likely 22 August 1903, making her 110 years old at the time of her death. Following a thorough review, her corrected age was officially validated on 14 June 2025.

ATTRIBUTION

* “¡Feliz 114 cumpleaños, doña María!” – Primera Hora, 4 May 2009

* “Abuelita celebra sus 117 años” – Primera Hora, 4 May 2012

* “Muere Doña María a los 119 años” – Primera Hora, 2 May 2014

GALLERY