Mexico Threatens Legal Action Against Google Over “Gulf of America” Name Change
Mexico is prepared to take legal action against Google if the tech giant goes ahead with renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” for its U.S. users.
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that the Mexican government had sent another letter to Google, reiterating its strong opposition to the proposed name change. She made it clear that President Donald Trump’s executive order on the matter applies only to the U.S.-owned portion of the Gulf’s continental shelf and does not extend to Mexico’s territory.
Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico would not accept the renaming of any geographic region that includes part of its national territory. She stated, “Under no circumstances does Mexico accept the renaming of any area that falls under our jurisdiction.” She also indicated that if Google does not respond to the letter favorably, Mexico would move forward with legal action. “We will wait for Google’s response, and if necessary, we will file a civil suit,” Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference.
The dispute stems from an executive order signed by Donald Trump shortly after his inauguration in January, which instructed the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico. In a lighthearted response, Sheinbaum suggested that the U.S. could be renamed “Mexican America” in reference to historical maps showing the large territory Mexico lost to the United States in 1848.
Google, which is part of Alphabet Inc., has assured that users in Mexico will continue to see the name “Gulf of Mexico” on their maps, but users in other regions, including the United States, may see both names appear. Apple, meanwhile, has already complied with the executive order by renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” for U.S. users of its mapping app.
