21 Year Old Spanish Exchange Student Stabbed to Death at Mexican Festival

On Saturday night, a Spanish university exchange student was murdered in Mexico following the medicinal plants festival. This murder brought the demand for justice from Spain and discussion about violence towards female university students in the state of Morelos.

Claudia Tacoronte, who is 21 years old and is an early childhood education major at the University of Granada, was stabbed around 11 p.m. on Sept. 12 near the Casa de la Cultura in Cuautla, Mexico. According to reports, she was killed inside the building after being chased by the attacker.

Tacoronte is originally from the Canary Islands and arrived in mid-August to undertake an exchange program at the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos, also known as UAEM, until December of this year.

According to police, her death is under investigation for femicide and possible robbery. According to her sister, Lara Tacoronte, Claudia resisted against the robbery of her cellphone. However, Morelos Attorney General Fernando Blumenkron Escobar explained that although the murder case started with robbery, they are not limiting their options.

Morelos prosecutors say they have found a suspect, known as Francisco Javier N., who lived about five blocks from the cultural center, and they have distributed a notice with his description.

Witnesses were concerned about the speed of emergency services’ response. As reported by Proceso, neighbors’ 911 calls went unanswered, and they had to call an ambulance through a WhatsApp group that included the authorities. Help arrived after more than 20 minutes, although a Red Cross station is less than three minutes from the building.

Tacoronte is the fourth female student connected with UAEM whose life was ended in seven months, after Kimberly Ramos, Karol Toledo, and Michelle Fuentes.

The university students held a march starting at their university and ending in downtown Cuernavaca, demanding better security measures, more effective investigation, and the arrest of the perpetrator. Students also placed flowers on a memorial in memory of Tacoronte organized at the Institute of Education Sciences.

Spain demanded justice for the victim. The Foreign Minister of Spain, José Manuel Albares, appealed for investigators to thoroughly investigate the case and charge those who were responsible for her murder. Also, Margarita González Saravia, the governor of Morelos, met with Spain’s consul Marcos Rodríguez Cantero to inform him of the investigation.

The University of Granada decided to cancel any more exchanges with Mexican universities. The University of Granada canceled exchanges for three UAEM students and provided the other 41 students with alternative destinations in Mexico.