Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated on Thursday that her government is considering filing a civil lawsuit against Google if the company continues referring to the body of water between northeastern Mexico and the southeastern United States as the “Gulf of America.”
This area, traditionally known as the Gulf of Mexico worldwide, has become a point of geopolitical contention following former President Donald Trump’s proposal to rename it.
Sheinbaum clarified that Trump’s decree only applies to the “continental shelf of the United States,” as Mexico still has sovereignty over a significant portion of the Gulf. She further emphasized that Mexico controls much of the Gulf, asserting the nation’s rights over its continental shelf.
Despite Mexico sending Google a letter expressing disapproval of the name change and asserting that the entire Gulf of Mexico cannot be renamed the “Gulf of America,” Sheinbaum noted that Google has stood by its decision to use the new name.
It is currently unclear where Mexico would file the lawsuit against Google.
Last month, Google stated on its X account (formerly Twitter) that it follows a “long-standing practice” of updating names based on official government sources when they change.
As of Thursday, the name displayed for the Gulf on Google Maps varied based on the user’s location and other data. Users in the United States saw it labeled as the “Gulf of America,” while those in Mexico saw it as the “Gulf of Mexico.” In many other countries, it appeared as “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).”
President Sheinbaum has consistently defended the name “Gulf of Mexico,” pointing out that it has been in use since 1607 and is recognized by the United Nations.
She has also referenced the constitution of Apatzingán, which predates Mexico’s first constitution, to highlight that the North American territory was once known as “Mexican America.” Sheinbaum has used this historical reference to humorously criticize Trump and emphasize the global significance of renaming the Gulf.
On Thursday, Sheinbaum announced that the Mexican government would request Google to display “Mexican America” on maps when searched, as part of its stance on the Gulf’s name.
This isn’t the first time there has been a disagreement between Mexico and the U.S. over the names of important geographical features. For example, the border river between Texas and several Mexican states is called the Rio Bravo in Mexico, while the United States refers to it as the Rio Grande.
Additionally, this week, the White House restricted Associated Press reporters from attending several events, including those in the Oval Office, citing the agency’s stance on the Gulf’s name. The AP uses “Gulf of Mexico” but also acknowledges Trump’s renaming to ensure global recognition of geographical names.