Students from the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos (UAEM) took to the streets of Cuernavaca, in the state of Morelos, on Tuesday (September 15) to demand justice for the murder of Spanish exchange student Claudia Tacoronte.

The students marched carrying banners and a Mexican flag, chanting slogans and calling for immediate action against the person responsible for Tacoronte’s murder.

Tacoronte, a student at the University of Granada, was in Mexico on an academic exchange program with the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos. Her body was found late on Saturday (September 12) near the Casa de Cultura in Cuautla, a city in Morelos state, about 100 km (62 miles) south of Mexico City.

Local Mexican media, citing police sources, reported that she died of stab wounds. She had been in Morelos for less than a month, state prosecutor Fernando Blumenkron told journalists, and had been staying at the cultural center for a medicinal plant festival.

Tacoronte's is the fourth femicide case of a student from the Autonomous University of Morelos State (UAEM) in 2026.

Kimberly Joselin Ramos and Karol Toledo, who disappeared and were found dead days later, sparked protests among the university community in March, with students taking over a campus for weeks demanding security measures and justice, Mexican media reported.

Mexico has long struggled with high levels of gender-based violence. Morelos recorded 21 femicides between January and July this year, according to official data, while 380 were registered nationwide over the same period.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

CUERNAVACA, MORELOS, MEXICO (SEPTEMBER 15, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. PROTESTER HOLDING MEXICO FLAG WITH SIGN READING (Spanish): 'THERE IS NO HOMELAND IN THE LAND OF THE MISSING' AND PEOPLE PROTESTING

2. VARIOUS OF STUDENT MARCH MOVING THROUGH STREETS OF DOWNTOWN

3. PROTESTERS REMOVING BARRIERS FROM CITY'S CENTRAL SQUARE TO LET PROTESTERS IN

4. PROTEST ENTERING CITY'S CENTRAL SQUARE

5. PROTESTERS SHOUTING (Spanish): 'JUSTICE'

6. PROTESTERS PLACING PROTEST SIGNS ON GROUND NEXT TO PORTRAIT OF KILLED SPANISH STUDENT,

CLAUDIA TACORONTE

7. PHOTOGRAPH OF TACORONTE WITH SLOGAN READING (Spanish): "Femicidal Morelos"

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER SAYING:

"Today we demand punishment for the person guilty of Claudia's death and that the authorities give all economic and legal support to her family and friends; they must know we accompany them in their mourning."

9. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SETTING UP MEMORIAL FOR TACORONTE

10. PHOTO OF TACORONTE AT MEMORIAL

11. PERSON PLACING FLOWERS AT MEMORIAL

12. PHOTO OF TACORONTE AT MEMORIAL

13. MEMORIAL PLACED IN FRONT OF GOVERNMENT PALACE

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING:

"What happened to that classmate (Tacoronte) is a reflection of how our state currently is. Every day there are more murders, more femicides; harassment is very present in our state, in our facilities. Despite it being said that security measures at the university would be increased, there is really no noticeable change."

15. GRAFFITI READING (Spanish) "CLAUDIA LIVES"

16. GRAFFITI ON WALL READING (Spanish) "MORELOS FEMICIDAL / MURDERERS"

17. SIGN DEMANDING JUSTICE FOR TACORONTE NEXT TO BANNERS SHOWING A DISAPPEARANCE VICTIM

18. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WALKING THROUGH CITY STREETS SHOUTING SLOGANS

19. SIGN READING (Spanish): "You came for a dream and they took your life"

20. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS IN STREETS SHOUTING SLOGANS