Hello, I'm Mark Lowen, and welcome to the documentary from the BBC World Service.

We bring people together to share their experiences, and this time we hear from people living

among violence and drug wars in Mexico.

In recent weeks, drug gangs have been making one of the world's most dangerous countries even more threatening.

In today's edition we talk to residents who fear they could be killed when out on the streets

and to journalists who are threatened for trying to report on what is happening.

They did an image by a computer where I was seated and other person was pointed me with a gun. I was still dreaming with that image.

Claudia Shanebaum, the former mayor of Mexico City, Climate Scientist and Nobel Peace Prize winner

broke boundaries a few weeks ago when she became the country's first female president.

One of her first pledges was to deal with the continuing drug-related violence.

Reports from local associations suggest around 200 people have been killed

and a similar number are missing since the beginning of September.

Described as one of the world's most powerful gangs,

the Ciniloa Drug Cartel has been involved in shootings with rival gangs for weeks.

In Ciniloa State in the north of Mexico,

Independence Day celebrations were cancelled and schools closed on safety grounds.

My colleague Kruppapadi spoke to two people living in the state capital of Kuleacan.

They are Carlos, who's a film curator, and 15-year-old Rosa.

It feels like when it was the whole thing of COVID-19, well we've had online classes but at the same

time we can hear some gunshots every now and then.

That's not normal is it?

Unfortunately here is quite normal.

...