President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Renaming of Gulf of Mexico
Mexico has warned Google of possible legal action if the company insists on renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” for U.S. users of Google Maps, President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday.
Sheinbaum emphasized that the renaming violates Mexico’s territorial integrity, as the Gulf of Mexico is shared by Mexico, the United States, and Cuba. She asserted that Donald Trump’s executive order only applies to the U.S. portion of the Gulf and does not grant the right to rename the entire body of water.
Mexico’s Response to Google and Trump’s Executive Order
- Mexico has officially written to Google, demanding that the name change be reversed.
- Sheinbaum warned, “If Google does not comply, we will proceed in court.”
- She also joked that if the U.S. insists on renaming the Gulf, Mexico could start calling the United States “Mexican America,” referencing historical maps from before 1848.
Google’s and Apple’s Stance
Google responded by stating that:
- Users in Mexico would continue to see “Gulf of Mexico”, while those in other countries would see both names.
- The change aligns with standard policy to reflect geographic names used by different government sources.
- The company is open to a “constructive dialogue” with Mexico to resolve the dispute.
Apple has also updated its maps for U.S. users to display “Gulf of America” in compliance with Trump’s executive order.
As tensions escalate, Mexico awaits Google’s response before potentially filing a civil lawsuit to challenge the renaming.
