When news reached Arriving Cortés of the death of several of his men during the Aztec attack on the Totonacs in Veracruz , Cortes claims that he took Motecuhzoma captive .

Capturing Conquering the cacique or indigenous ruler was standard operating procedure for Spaniards in their expansion Expansion in the Caribbean , so capturing Conquering Motecuhzoma had considerable precedent but modern scholars are skeptical that Cortes and his countrymen took Conquering Motecuhzoma captive at this time .

The government at the time was a moderate , liberal coalition of Republicans , supported Supporting in the Cortes by communist and socialist parties , under the leadership of centre-left President Manuel Azaña .