After presenting the government’s home construction program at events in Tamaulipas, Zacatecas and Aguascalientes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, President Claudia Sheinbaum presided over her regular morning press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City on Monday.
Early in the mañanera, Sheinbaum ceded center stage to the national Civil Protection chief, who provided an update on the more than 100 wildfires burning in Mexico.
Later in the press conference, the president spoke about a task she has entrusted to new Finance Minister Edgar Amador Zamora, who took over the job from Rogelio Ramírez de la O last month.
Civil Protection chief: 114 wildfires burning across 23 Mexican states
National Civil Protection Coordinator Laura Velázquez reported that there were 114 active wildfires across Mexico at 8 p.m. Sunday, according to the National Forestry Commission (Conafor).
She said that 46 of those fires are at least 80% under control while the other 68 are less contained, but don’t currently represent a risk to human life.
Velázquez said that the 114 fires are burning in 23 different states, and 20 are in Natural Protected Areas. Citing information from Conafor, the Civil Protection chief said that approximately 38,405 hectares of land are affected by the fires.
⛰🔥 Nuevamente los cerros de #Tepoztlán padecen de un #incendio forestal que inició desde la noche del miércoles 9 de abril, pero en una zona más complicada.
📷 Cortesía I Ayuntamiento de Tepoztlán pic.twitter.com/XgQhE3joMR
— El Sol de México (@elsolde_mexico) April 12, 2025
An image she displayed showed 16 active fires in the northern state of Chihuahua, 12 in Michoacán, 11 in Guerrero, 11 in Oaxaca and 10 in Morelos. Among the blazes in Morelos are four in the municipality of Tepoztlán, where fires also consumed forest in March.
Velázquez traveled to Tepoztlán later on Monday to monitor the firefighting efforts.
The other states where forest fires were burning Sunday evening are Durango (9), Sinaloa (8), Puebla (7), San Luis Potosí (5), Jalisco (5), Zacatecas (4), Veracruz (3), Sonora (2), Guanajuato (2), Chiapas (1), Coahuila (1), Tamaulipas (1), Nuevo León (1), Querétaro (1), Tlaxcala (1), México state (1), Hidalgo (1) and Nayarit (1).
Velázquez said that just under 4,000 firefighters are working to extinguish the blazes. They include Conafor and military personnel as well as firefighters employed by state and municipal governments and volunteers.
“It’s very important to highlight that there are eight planes and eight helicopters that are helping to combat the fires,” Velázquez said.
Later in the press conference, the Civil Protection chief said there were “signs” that some of the fires were deliberately lit.
Velázquez said that law enforcement authorities are investigating and that when “official and reliable data” is available she will announce it.
She also noted that three firefighters have lost their lives this year while working to extinguish forest fires, including one in Oaxaca last month.
Rainfall in 2025 well below the average in recent decades
Before presenting the information about the 114 active forest fires, Velázquez highlighted that the accumulated amount of rainfall in Mexico between Jan. 1 and April 6 was 32.7% lower than the average for the same period between 1991 and 2020.
She also noted that 42.8% of Mexico’s territory was experiencing drought ranging from “moderate to exceptional” as of March 31, the date Mexico’s most recent “drought monitor” map was published.
“These dry and hot conditions significantly increase the risk of forest fires,” Velázquez said.
Government wants banks to lower borrowing costs
A reporter asked the president whether she would attend the Mexican Banking Association’s annual Banking Convention in Nuevo Nayarit (formerly Nuevo Vallarta) in early May and if so what message she would convey to bankers.
“Yes, I’m going to the convention,” Sheinbaum said.
She didn’t disclose any message that she would personally send to bankers, but noted that she has given Finance Minister Edgar Amador Zamora the task of asking banks in Mexico to lower their interest rates.
Even though the Bank of Mexico has cut its key interest rate — it is currently 9% compared to 11% a year ago — “access to a loan for a small or medium-sized company continues to be very complex,” Sheinbaum said.
She said that lower borrowing costs in Mexico would help to “invigorate” the economy.
“So that is an important part of what we’re asking the finance minister, [we’re asking] that he speak with the banks,” Sheinbaum said.
As part of its Plan México economic initiative, the federal government is aiming to increase the percentage of small businesses that have access to credit ever year this six-year period of government to reach 30% in 2030.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
