When President Donald Trump declared the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America,’ it sparked a wave of memes. Now, the response from Mexico’s government has escalated.
On Friday, May 9, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced her administration’s legal action against Google for changing the Gulf of Mexico’s name to the ‘Gulf of America’ on Google Maps.
Reports from the BBC suggest that Google ignored Mexico’s persistent appeals against the name change.
Early in his second presidential term, which started in January, Trump issued an executive order for the US Government to rename the Gulf.
President Sheinbaum addressed the press, confirming the initiation of the lawsuit but withheld specific details.
“The lawsuit has already been filed,” Sheinbaum stated, without specifying the timing or location of the filing. “All we want is for the decree issued by the US government to be complied with.”
“The US government only calls the portion of the US continental shelf the Gulf of America, not the entire gulf, because it wouldn’t have the authority to name the entire gulf.”
This legal move follows a plea from Mexico’s foreign relations ministry urging Google to halt the rebranding.
Prior to this, Cris Turner, Google’s VP of government affairs and public policy, had reached out to Sheinbaum.
Documents shared by President Sheinbaum reveal Google’s stance, affirming their decision to retain the updated name on Google Maps.
For US users, the Gulf appears as ‘the Gulf of America,’ while Mexican viewers see ‘the Gulf of Mexico.’ Globally, it is labeled as ‘The Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).’
Google’s VP defended the change, stating it aligns with their policy of impartiality and consistency in map updates worldwide.
The Associated Press faced revoked White House access for not altering the Gulf’s name in its stylebook, with Trump disregarding court orders to reinstate them.
Google has yet to respond to Sheinbaum’s legal announcement.
UNILAD has sought comment from Google.
The name change took place shortly after the executive order was signed, and Trump continues to endorse it despite Mexico’s official objections.
This order is only enforceable in the US and Mexico, allowing other nations to continue referring to the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico.
According to a 1970s State Department report, the US-Mexico boundary begins at the Rio Grande’s mouth and follows a defined path.
Recently, the House of Representatives passed a bill to legally enshrine the name change, directing federal agencies to update maps. However, it faces a challenging 60-vote filibuster in the Senate.
Sheinbaum has previously criticized Trump’s renaming initiative, humorously suggesting the US be rebranded as ‘América Mexicana’ or ‘Mexican America.’
She referenced an 1814 document as justification, adding with sarcasm: “That sounds nice, no?”