Mexico has stated its intention to take legal action against Google if the company follows through with renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" for U.S. users of its maps. The controversy stems from a directive issued by former U.S. President Donald Trump shortly after his inauguration, which sought to change the name of the Gulf in certain U.S. territories.
In response, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum declared that the government had sent another letter to Google, asserting that the executive order only affects the Gulf area that lies within the United States' continental shelf. She emphasized that Mexico will not accept any alteration to the name of a geographic region that includes Mexican territory.
Sheinbaum also made it clear that, should Google fail to respond, Mexico would pursue legal action, including a civil lawsuit. The Mexican government has expressed strong concerns over what it views as an infringement on its territorial rights.
In a comment made earlier, Sheinbaum humorously suggested that the United States could be renamed "Mexican America," referencing historical maps from before 1848 when the U.S. took control of significant portions of Mexican land.
While Google has stated that the name "Gulf of Mexico" will still appear for users in Mexico, the U.S. version of Google Maps would display both names. Apple, in contrast, has already updated its maps to reflect the name change for U.S. users, complying with Trump’s executive order.
This dispute has brought attention to ongoing tensions regarding territorial names and historical claims, with Mexico strongly asserting its right to preserve the identity of geographic areas within its boundaries.
