Get rid of the Spanish inmate criminal I preceded (9)
I believe the answer is:
eliminate
'get rid' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'spanish inmate criminal i preceded' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
an anagram of 'inmate' is 'minate' which is within the answer.
'i' is found in the answer.
The remaining letters 'el' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
'of the' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for eliminate that I've seen before include "waste" , "Murder" , "put out" , "Wipe out" , "Reject" .)