吉尼斯世界纪录12月9日宣布，现年116岁的厄瓜多尔老妇玛丽亚·以斯·卡波维拉为目前世界上健在的最年长者，而不是此前认为的美国老妇人伊丽莎白·博尔登。

    据路透社12月9日报道，卡波维拉的家人将她的出生日期和结婚证明向吉尼斯世界纪录出示后，116岁的卡波维拉被证实为目前世界上的第一寿星。吉尼斯世界纪录负责人凯特·怀特表示：“昨天我们才告诉老人她是新的世界寿星纪录保持者。可惜，我们也是才知道她的存在。”怀特说：“老人的健康状况非常好。她的视力不错，可以读报、看书。她还可以不用拐杖行走。”

    卡波维拉于1889年9月14日出生于厄瓜多尔西部的瓜伊基尔（Guayaqull），如今，她还与儿子和媳妇居住在那里。卡波维拉有5个子女，孙子辈有4人，曾孙辈有9人，玄孙辈有两人。她的丈夫在1949年去世。

    怀特透露，当卡波维拉被问及她对世界这么多年发生的变化有什么看法时，她的回答是——不喜欢现在女人追求男人的现象，并表示她每一天都感谢上帝让自己还活着。

    卡波维拉的家人介绍说，在19世纪与20世纪之交，卡波维拉还是一名少女。当时，她最热衷的休闲方式就是参加派对，但她从不在派对上饮酒。因为按照当时的风俗，女子只能用嘴唇碰一下酒杯以表示感谢派对主人的热情款待，但并不真正将酒喝下去。

    报道说，生于1890年8月15日的美国老人伊丽莎白·博尔登此前被认为是世界上健在的最年长者，但卡波维拉老人的出现使这一纪录发生改变。而波多黎各老汉艾米利亚诺·梅尔卡多·德尔·托罗被《吉尼斯世界纪录》认定为目前世界上最年长的男性。托罗生于1891年8月21日，现年114岁。而根据《吉尼斯世界纪录》，最长寿纪录由122岁法国妇女让娜·路易斯·卡勒蒙保持。她于1997年去世。

    A 116-year-old Ecuadorean woman was declared the oldest person in the world on Friday, lifting the title from a U.S. woman previously thought to be the oldest person alive, Guinness World Records said.

    Maria Esther Capovilla was confirmed as the oldest living person after her family sent details of her birth and marriage certificates to Guinness World Records.

    "We only told her yesterday she was the new Guinness world record holder," Kate White, brand manager at the records publisher told Reuters. "We hadn't heard of her before."

    "She's in very good health, she's got good sight, is able to read the papers and watch television, and doesn't walk with a stick," White added.

    Capovilla was born in Guayaqull in western Ecuador on September 14, 1889, and lives there today with her daughter-in-law and son.

    She had five children, and has four grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

    Her husband died in 1949.

    White said Capovilla had been asked what she thought about the changes she had seen over her life.

    "She said she disliked the fact that presently it's acceptable for women to pursue men.

    And she said that every day she thanks God that she's alive," White said.

    As a girl at the turn of the century one of Capovilla's favourite pastimes was going to parties, where she never drank alcohol.

    At the time it was the custom for women just to touch the rim of the glass with their lips without drinking, as a sign of accepting hospitality, her family told Guinness World Records.

    Elizabeth Bolden, from Memphis, Tennessee, born August 15, 1890, had previously been regarded as the oldest living person.

    Edith "Judy" Ingamell, 111 years old, from Enfield north of London, became the oldest woman in Britain after the death on Wednesday of the previous title holder Lucy d'Abreu, Guinness World Records said.

    D'Abreu, who lived to 113, attributed her longevity to a daily dose of brandy and dry ginger ale.

    Emiliano Mercado Del Toro, from Puerto Rico, born August 21, 1891, is the world's oldest living man, aged 114, says Guinness World Records.