‘El Trompas’, the main target of Mexican authorities for the killing of Claudia Tacoronte

Mexican authorities already know the nickname of the alleged killer of the Spanish exchange student Claudia Tacoronte. The main suspect in the crime is known as El Trompas, sources close to the investigation told EL PAÍS. The man had already been recorded committing several robberies at different businesses in Cuautla, one of them on the same day that the student was attacked near the Casa de la Cultura cultural center. The clothing in the robbery videos matches what witnesses said the man was wearing, and what shows up on private security cameras owned by neighbors: a white T-shirt, light-colored bermuda shorts and a black backpack. That man is now the main target of Mexican authorities.Shortly before 8.50 pm on Saturday, Claudia Tacoronte was mugged in downtown Cuautla, a municipality in the state of Morelos that has long suffered from rampant crime. The city, with a population of 183,000 , has in recent months seen the arrest of its mayor, its treasurer, its chief administrative officer and its municipal secretary, all accused of collaborating with organized crime, a local group linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. For years residents have warned that criminal gangs control Cuautla and that this has increased the number of murders and extortion in town.The Spanish student had traveled to the city to attend a popular medicinal plants fair. Tacoronte had been in Mexico for barely a month and was living in Cuernavaca, the capital of the state of Morelos. She was meant to spend a few months studying at the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos (UAEM). Her stay was part of an exchange program with the University of Granada, where she was studying early childhood education.Ximena Becerril, a friend of Claudia, told this newspaper that she was very excited because the organizers of the Cuautla fair had offered her lodging at the Casa de la Cultura. ‘She loved everything to do with indigenous communities,’ the young woman said, recalling her friend’s vitality, enthusiasm and eagerness to discover a new country: ‘She was always excited! She said she was at the best moment of her life; I saw her as a free person.’On Saturday night, Claudia was assaulted on a street leading to her lodging. A man stabbed her and she died from her wounds. She had time to run, call for help and seek shelter. A handful of neighbors came to her aid when they heard her screams; some even tried to chase the attacker. Several identified his clothing: a white top and a black backpack.In several private neighborhood cameras, a man dressed like that can be seen running away. The main hypothesis of the Morelos Attorney General’s Office is that the motive was a robbery, although other ‘clues’ are still being considered.A few hours before the crime, a security camera at a Cuautla business captured the same man — everything matches, including the brand of the T-shirt — allegedly attempting to steal items from the store. In the footage, recorded at 1.15 pm that Saturday, the man can be seen running off when he sees a police patrol passing by. In recent days another image of the same person has circulated on Facebook, this time in a bicycle shop where he is accused of theft. A source linked to the investigation has confirmed it is the same man, El Trompas, who is now being sought for Claudia’s femicide.The student’s killing has once again put Mexico face to face with one of its major burdens: violence against women. So far this year, three other students from Claudia’s university — the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos — have been murdered; another 69 women have been killed in the state and 1,250 in the country overall. Impunity for these crimes reaches 95%. The Spanish government, through its foreign minister and the consulate, has said it will pursue the case to the end so the murder is resolved.For now, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already included Morelos on its list of places it recommends Spanish citizens avoid traveling to because ‘there has been an increase in violence linked to drug trafficking as well as kidnappings.’ ‘One should act prudently, gather information before visiting isolated towns and regions and avoid traveling at night except in populated areas. Remain alert to unforeseen incidents and keep activities focused on the purpose of the visit without venturing alone into unfamiliar places,’ the Foreign Ministry’s website reads. Likewise, the University of Granada has canceled the planned exchange to Morelos for three other students scheduled for next semester.Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition