Spanish exchange student murdered in Mexico

BarcelonaA 21-year-old Spanish student was murdered this Saturday in Mexico. The victim, of Canarian origin, was on an academic exchange in the state of Morelos, in the center of the country, and the Prosecutor's Office is investigating the crime as a femicide, according to local authorities.

The Autonomous University of the State of Morelos (UAEM), where the victim was doing her exchange, has identified the student as Claudia Tacoronte Aguilera and specified that she came from the University of Granada. Sources from this institution confirmed to the Efe agency that the young woman was in her fourth year of early childhood education.

While waiting to learn the circumstances of the murder, the prosecutor of Morelos, Fernando Blumenkron, explained that the events took place in the municipality of Cuautla, about 100 kilometers south of Mexico City. He also confirmed that the crime is being investigated as a femicide in accordance with the protocols applicable to violent deaths of women.

The governor of Morelos, Margarita González Saravia, explained that state authorities have been in contact with the Spanish diplomatic representation in Mexico City to provide support and accompaniment to the girl's family. In turn, sources from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs consulted by ARA report that the Consulate of Spain in Mexico City is in contact with the Mexican judicial authorities, who are working to clarify the causes of the murder.

An average of ten women are murdered every day in Mexico and a quarter of the crimes are prosecuted as femicides, according to official figures and NGOs collected by Efe. Beyond the outcome of this student's case, the University of Granada has demanded in a statement to "eradicate all forms of violence exercised against women." The institution has called for a minute of silence for this morning.