Deolira Glicéria Pedro da Silva, resident of Itaperuna, in the Northwest of the state of Rio de Janeiro, completed 121 years in March and was officially recognized as the oldest woman in Brazil. The certificate was issued by Rank Brasil, the system responsible for certifying national records.
The geriatrician Juair de Abreu Pereira follows the elderly woman and is responsible for gathering the necessary documentation to prove the feat. The doctor believes that recognition by Rank Brasil may open the way for Deolira to also be registered by Guinness World Records as the oldest person in the world.
The world title currently belongs to British woman Ethel Caterham, 116 years old. According to the doctor, the process with Guinness had stalled, but the national certification may contribute to its resumption.
The main difficulty faced by the family in proving Deolira's age is related to documentation. The doctor has been working to gather the necessary documents that can officially validate the Brazilian woman's advanced age with international registries.
