Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has urged Google to reverse its decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” for U.S. users on Google Maps. Sheinbaum emphasized that the internationally recognized name is the “Gulf of Mexico” and warned that Mexico might pursue legal action if the change is not reverted.
In the order, Trump stated, “The Gulf will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping America’s future and the global economy, and in recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our Nation’s economy and its people, I am directing that it officially be renamed the Gulf of America.”
Google’s renaming aligns with a decree by the U.S. government under President Donald Trump to rename the Gulf of Mexico. Sheinbaum contends that this decree should only be effective within U.S. territory or up to 22 nautical miles from its coast. Despite Mexico’s repeated complaints, Google has not addressed the issue satisfactorily.
Currently, the name appears as “Gulf of Mexico” for users in Mexico, while it appears as “Gulf of America” for U.S. users. For users outside the two countries, both names are displayed. Google has not provided a comment on the matter.
Sheinbaum has indicated that Mexico’s legal team is investigating potential implications and that the country could file a civil suit against Google if necessary. Legal experts suggest that Mexico may argue the case under international naming conventions and sovereignty protections recognized by the United Nations, which could add weight to its demands for Google to revert the change.
Apple Maps has also adopted the “Gulf of America” designation for U.S. users, mirroring Google’s controversial renaming. The move has further intensified Mexico’s objections, with officials warning that legal action could extend to multiple tech companies if the internationally recognized “Gulf of Mexico” name is not restored.
