A 21-year-old student from the Canary Islands was killed in Mexico while on academic exchange. The University of Granada condemned the attack and called for action against violence targeting women. Spanish authorities are involved.
The University of Granada is mourning the death of Claudia Tacoronte Aguilera, a 21-year-old student from the Canary Islands who was killed while studying in Mexico. The university responded quickly, publicly condemning the violence and holding a minute of silence across all its campuses in her memory.
Claudia was in her fourth year of Early Childhood Education and taking part in a mobility program at the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos (UAEM). According to initial reports, she was attacked in Cuautla, near the Casa de la Cultura. The case has drawn immediate attention from both Spanish and Mexican authorities. The Consulate General of Spain in Mexico City is in close contact with her family and local investigators.
UAEM officially classified the crime as femicide and demanded a thorough investigation with a gender perspective, opening communication channels with Claudia's family through UGR and Spanish consular authorities.
The University of Granada released a statement expressing condolences to Claudia’s family, friends, and classmates, and acknowledged the impact of her loss on the university community. The university’s leadership has offered support to her relatives and is working with Spanish consular officials to provide assistance during this period.
The university also restated its commitment to defending human rights and called for an end to violence against women. The minute of silence, held at 11 a.m. on September 14 at the entrance of every university building, was both an act of mourning and a protest against gender-based violence. According to Infobae and other Spanish media, the University of Granada has kept in direct contact with the Spanish Consulate and Claudia's family since the incident.
Spanish diplomatic sources confirmed that the Consulate General is following the investigation closely and remains in contact with Mexican judicial authorities. Their aim is to clarify the circumstances of Claudia’s death and support her family through the legal and administrative process. Mexican authorities, including the Morelos state prosecutor's office, are treating the case as femicide and following established protocols for violent deaths of women, as reported by several independent agencies.
The crime occurred on the evening of September 12 in the Casa de la Cultura area of Cuautla, about 100 km south of Mexico City. The governor of Morelos, Margarita González Saravia, confirmed the murder and stated that local authorities are in contact with the Spanish consulate to support the victim's family.
Academic exchanges are a key part of international education, giving students the chance to learn and experience new cultures. This case, however, highlights the risks students can face when studying abroad, especially in areas where safety is a concern. The University of Granada’s response underlines the need for stronger protections for students in international programs. As Spain continues to encourage educational mobility, universities must weigh the benefits of global experience against the responsibility to keep their students safe, especially women. Claudia Tacoronte Aguilera’s death is a reminder that institutional support and real action are needed to confront violence that affects families and communities across borders.
