A Cuban man, who claims to be 126 years old, making him the world's oldest person, has died Thursday at a hospital.

Benito Martinez claims to have been born in Haiti in 1880 although this was never proven.

He credits his longevity to hard work, fresh vegetables, not too many cigars, a little alcohol - and never marrying.

When he was still alive, Martinez was the star of the Cuban government's campaign to promote healthy lives for its oldest citizen. He was the leading light of Cuba's 120 club, an organization which aims to promote healthy living for the elderly.

Surprisingly, he was still active until last month, tending plants outside his one-bedroom house, visiting the local old people's home and even going dancing. His neighbors describe him as the man with the broad toothless grin as always being very old.

Martinez claims he was born in Haiti and arrived in Cuba in 1925 at the age of 45 to work as a farm worker.

The Cuban government tried but failed to uncover baptism records or a birth certificate in Haiti so he was never officially on record as the world's oldest man.