In a significant move, Mexico has initiated legal proceedings against Google for altering the name of the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America” for users accessing Google Maps in the United States. President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the lawsuit during a press conference on Friday, although she did not disclose specific details regarding the filing location or timeline.
This controversy arises after U.S. lawmakers in the House of Representatives passed legislation aimed at formalizing a name change that aligns with a policy implemented during Donald Trump’s presidency. The bill, championed by Republican representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia, was approved largely along party lines, with Democrats unanimously opposing it and nearly all Republicans supporting it, except for a few dissenters.
While the legislation seeks to mandate the name change for federal agencies, it faces challenges in gaining the necessary bipartisan support to advance through the Senate. Furthermore, any change in U.S. policy does not compel other nations to adopt the new designation.
Earlier this year, President Sheinbaum cautioned Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, that legal action would be considered if the company did not revert to the original name. The Mexican government contends that Trump’s executive order pertains solely to the U.S. continental shelf and does not extend to the entire Gulf of Mexico. “Our aim is simply to ensure compliance with the decree issued by the U.S. government,” Sheinbaum stated, emphasizing that the U.S. can only refer to its own continental shelf as the Gulf of America, not the entire body of water.
In a pointed response to the name change, Sheinbaum humorously proposed that the United States be referred to as “América Mexicana” (Mexican America), referencing historical maps predating 1848, when a significant portion of Mexican territory was annexed by the U.S. As tensions surrounding this issue continue, both nations are engaged in discussions to ease strains exacerbated by Trump’s previous trade policies, including various tariffs targeting Mexico.
