Mexico is threatening legal action against Google for renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” for Americans. The action comes as a result of an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump that has heightened tensions between Mexico and the US.
The controversy started when Trump issued an executive order on January 20, renaming the Gulf of Mexico as part of a wider policy to redefine some geographic features in the United States. The order, however, was directed at the United States’ continental shelf and not at Mexican soil. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum complained that her government was not satisfied with Google’s move, which changed the name of the Gulf on Google Maps for US users.
“We do have a dispute with Google at the moment,” Sheinbaum said in her morning press conference. “And if necessary, we will file a civil suit,” she continued.
Google’s Reaction to Name Change
Even after Mexico’s official protests and a formal letter written to Google, the tech giant has remained firm on its decision. As per Google, its practice is to make changes to geographical names when these updates occur in authoritative government sources. The technology firm has made the “Gulf of America” name available to US users on Google Maps but kept the original “Gulf of Mexico” name available to Mexico and other users. Both names are sometimes displayed as “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).
Apple has also revised its maps to the new name for US users, in conjunction with Google’s same changes.
Mexico Defends the Historic Name of the Gulf
Sheinbaum and other Mexican authorities have strongly argued in favor of the historical name “Gulf of Mexico,” which goes back at least to 1607 and is used by the United Nations. Sheinbaum referred to historical maps before 1848, when the US took a significant amount of Mexican land, to emphasize the long historical connection of the Gulf to Mexico.
“What we are saying to Google is: check the order that was issued by the White House and signed by President Trump. You will see that it does not refer to the entire Gulf, but to the continental shelf,” Sheinbaum told Efe, contesting Google’s move to apply the name change more generally. She then playfully continued with the scenario, proposing that Google rename the United States as “Mexican America” to keep up with its renaming pace.
Historical Controversies Regarding Geographic Names
This new controversy is merely one of the numerous historical controversies between Mexico and the US regarding geographic names. Another instance is the river along the border between Texas and Mexico, which is called the “Río Bravo” in Mexico and the “Rio Grande” in the US.
In addition, the renaming decision by Trump has sparked outrage beyond Mexico. Indigenous groups in Alaska have condemned the reversal of Denali to its former name, Mount McKinley.
Legal Action Remains on the Table
President Sheinbaum has firmly stated that Mexico will not retreat on this matter. “If they continue to insist, we will too,” she declared. “We are even thinking of a lawsuit because they are even naming Mexican territory, which is our continental shelf.”
The fate of the Gulf of Mexico’s name on Google Maps is uncertain as tensions escalate.
