An arrest warrant was issued Wednesday (September 16) against a suspect in the killing of a Spanish exchange student in central Mexico, a state prosecutor said, as new anti-feminicide protests took to the streets on the country's Independence Day.

Morelos state prosecutor Fernando Blumenkron said authorities are searching for Francisco Javier N. for allegedly killing Claudia Tacoronte, a 21-year-old education student, in Cuautla on Saturday night (September 12).

Female students marched in Cuernavaca, the Morelos state capital, and in Cuautla, to protest femicides at the Autonomous University of Morelos State (UAEM), where the victim had arrived there less than a month ago on an exchange program.

The protests coincided with Mexico's Independence Day, marking the nation's 216th anniversary. In Cuernavaca, the demonstration momentarily disrupted the military parade.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Arrest warrant issued in Spanish student case as Mexico sees new anti-feminicide protests

VIDEO SHOWS: UNIVERSITY STUDENTS STAGING PROTEST AGAINST FEMINICIDES / SOUNDBITES FROM STATE PROSECUTOR

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: CUERNAVACA, MORELOS, MEXICO (SEPTEMBER 16, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH SIGNS DEMANDING JUSTICE FOR KILLING OF SPANISH STUDENT CLAUDIA TACORONTE

2. PROTESTER SPEAKING THROUGH MEGAPHONE AT RALLY

3. PROTESTERS CHANTING (Spanish): "JUSTICE, JUSTICE, JUSTICE"

4. PROTESTERS MARCHING TO DOWNTOWN

5. PROTESTERS CHANTING (Spanish): “NO, NO, NO, THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE, FEMINICIDES ARE STATE CRIMES”

6. (SOUNDBITE)(Spanish) MORELOS STATE PROSECUTOR, FERNANDO BLUMEKRON ESCOBAR, SAYING:

"Yesterday we obtained from a specialized judge, the feminicide prosecution office got an apprehension order for the feminicide of Claudia Tacoronte Aguilera against a male individual. Today, later we will release the identification sheet. This person goes by the name Javier Francisco Javier N. and he is attributed with the responsibility of Claudia’s feminicide.”

INTERNET (SEPTEMBER 16, 2026) (MORELOS STATE PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE – Access all) (MUTE)

7. VARIOUS OF WANTED POSTER TO LOCATE THE ALLEGED MURDERER OF CLAUDIA TACORONTE

CUERNAVACA, MORELOS, MEXICO (SEPTEMBER 16, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)

8. (SOUNDBITE)(Spanish) STATE PROSECUTOR OF MORELOS, FERNANDO BLUMEKRON ESCOBAR, SAYING:

"The search is being conducted in all states, and obviously, if we have information that he could be in another state, we request the collaboration of that state, but well, now the search is being conducted in Morelos at this time and it has also been extended to another part of the republic."

CUAUTLA, MORELOS, MEXICO (SEPTEMBER 16, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)

9. PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH SIGNS

10. PROTESTERS CHANTING (Spanish): “NO ONE LESS BECAUSE WE WANT WOMEN ALIVE”

11. SIGN READING (Spanish) "HOUSE OF CULTURE OF CUAUTLA,” WHERE TACORONTE DIED

12. DEMONSTRATION MARCHING TO THE HOUSE OF CULTURE

13. SIGN AT THE ENTRANCE TO HOUSE OF CULTURE

14. PROTESTERS ARRIVING AT THE COURTYARD OF THE HOUSE OF CULTURE

15. VARIOUS OF MAKESHIFT MEMORIAL IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE HOUSE OF CULTURE IN MEMORY OF CLAUDIA TACORONTE

16. PROTESTERS CHANTING (Spanish): “NOT ONE, NOT TEN—DAMN COUNTRY COUNT US WELL”