She realises that there are bad things in Mexico, but sometimes she actually feels more scared here in Europe due to the terrorist events that have happened lately. Though there has been only one in my country, she really hates going to Brussels.
As she tells me, it is worse with terrorism because it involves civilians minding their own business, whilst most of the terrible news from Mexico actually happens due to narcos and not to random civilians on the street.
As I have not lived in Mexico, I can't really compare the two. But by the sounds of her and her family, it's not as bad as the news would have you believe. (Or, alternatively, they happen to live in a good part of Monterrey / Mexico).
The places you listed are all the safe states, which effectively is a different country.
It's not super complex, the states near the Gulf/Yucatan are generally the safe ones.
http://www.geocurrents.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Mexic...
FWIW, Baja California Sur, though not near Gulf/Yucatan is pretty low on the list too.
Baja California and Sonora have significantly lower rates than Chihuahua, but all three border the US.
I now live in Guanajuato, and the only crime I've heard of first or second hand in the years in mx was a worker taking some cash which was laying around, and some gringo's stealing from each other.
On the other hand I lost three friends in hurricane Odile, so I guess don't forget nature can be a much bigger threat if not given enough respect.
Didn't expect to find someone on HN living in El Bajío. :)
I've never once felt not safe, or seen violence.
I see the news and I really wonder if I'm living in a different country.