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Deolira Gliceria Pedro da Silva, resident of Itaperuna, in Rio de Janeiro, draws the attention of doctors and researchers due to her extraordinary age, simple routine, and possible entry into the Guinness as one of the longest-living people ever recorded.
A Brazilian woman of 119 years may be on the verge of a historic feat that could once again place Brazil at the center of global attention. Deolira Gliceria Pedro da Silva, resident of Itaperuna, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, claims to be a few months away from turning 120 years and seeks to be officially recognized as the oldest living person in the world.
The case gained international attention after the story was reported by Reuters. Deolira was born, according to documents presented by her family, on March 10, 1905, in the rural area of Porciúncula, a municipality in the interior of Rio de Janeiro.
If her age is confirmed by official entities, the Brazilian could surpass the record currently recognized by the Guinness World Records, which lists another Brazilian, Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas, from Rio Grande do Sul, as the longest-living person on the planet, at 116 years.
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119-Year-Old Brazilian Woman Lives in the Interior of Rio and Impresses Doctors
Deolira Gliceria Pedro da Silva currently lives in a colorful house in Itaperuna, where she is cared for by two granddaughters: Doroteia Ferreira da Silva, 60 years old, and Leida Ferreira da Silva, 64 years old.
Even with an age well above the national average, the great-grandmother draws attention for a rare detail: according to her doctor, she is in good general health for her age and does not use continuous medications.
Geriatrician Juair de Abreu Pereira, responsible for frequently monitoring Deolira, stated that she would turn 120 years in 2025. For the doctor, the Brazilian has surprising physical conditions for someone who would have already traversed more than a century of history.
The longevity of the elderly woman has also sparked the interest of researchers. One of them is Mateus Vidigal, from the University of São Paulo, who is studying the case as part of a project aimed at understanding the population of very elderly people in Brazil.
Family tries to prove age and take case to Guinness World Records
Deolira’s family claims to have documents indicating her birth in 1905, but official recognition still faces obstacles. According to medical reports, severe floods that hit the region almost two decades ago may have destroyed much of the Brazilian’s original documents.
This detail could become decisive. For the Guinness World Records, it is not enough just to declare the age. It is necessary to present solid, verifiable documentation accepted by the organizations responsible for confirming world records.
In a statement, Guinness reported that it could not confirm receipt of the request involving Deolira, as it receives requests from various parts of the world from people who also claim to be the oldest living person on the planet.
Therefore, although the family and doctors are confident, the case still depends on official validation. The central point is not just the alleged age, but the ability to prove each stage of the elderly woman’s life through recognized records.
Documents point to birth in 1905, but verification is still a challenge
According to the information presented by the family, Deolira was born on March 10, 1905, in a rural area of Porciúncula. This means she would have spent her childhood in a completely different Brazil, still marked by few public structures, limited communication, and more fragile civil records in remote regions.
This reality helps explain why cases of extreme longevity can be difficult to prove, even when there are consistent family reports. In old rural areas, documents could be registered late, lost over time, or destroyed by natural disasters, such as floods.
Mateus Vidigal highlighted precisely this documentary fragility. According to the researcher, Deolira has not been excluded from studies on very old people, but there is the problem of the lack of documentation approved by organizations like the Guinness World Records.
Even so, he acknowledges that Deolira is undoubtedly a centenarian, even if her exact age still needs to undergo formal validation.
Without medication, with good nutrition and regular sleep
One of the points that most draws attention in the Brazilian’s routine is the absence of medication. While many people of much younger age deal with hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, Deolira, according to her family, does not have these problems.
Her granddaughter Doroteia Ferreira da Silva summed up the family’s amazement by comparing her grandmother’s health to that of younger generations. She stated that she would like to reach Deolira’s age with the same vitality and highlighted that, while other family members face issues like hypertension and diabetes, the elderly woman “has none of that.”
According to doctor Juair de Abreu Pereira, factors such as healthy eating, good sleep habits, and close family relationships may help explain the Brazilian’s longevity.
Another simple detail of her routine caught attention: Deolira likes to eat banana, a common food in Brazil and part of her diet.
Could Brazil have the two oldest people in the world?
Deolira’s case gains even more strength because Brazil already appears at the top of official longevity records. Currently, Guinness recognizes Inah Canabarro Lucas, a nun born in Rio Grande do Sul, as the oldest living person in the world.
If Deolira can documentarily prove her age, the country could experience a rare situation: one Brazilian would replace another Brazilian as the oldest person on the planet.
For now, the story remains between admiration and caution. Deolira Gliceria Pedro da Silva is treated by her family as a woman who has crossed generations, witnessed Brazil change profoundly, and reached an age that few people in the world manage to achieve.
But, for her name to officially enter the Guinness Book of Records, the most challenging step remains: turning an impressive life into an internationally recognized record.
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