Mexico sues Google for calling Gulf of Mexico Gulf of America

Mexico has initiated legal action against Google regarding its change in the naming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. This change, based on an executive order from former U.S. President Donald Trump, has garnered attention from Mexican authorities. President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the lawsuit, explaining that the government had previously requested that Google refrain from labeling Mexican territorial waters in this manner. Mexico maintains that the name ‘Gulf of America’ should only apply to the Gulf's section over the United States' continental shelf and not to the larger shared water body that includes areas belonging to Mexico and Cuba. In her statements, President Sheinbaum underscored that the U.S. decree only holds authority within its territorial boundaries, while the Gulf of Mexico is an international body of water. She has requested that Google delineate the usage of each name accordingly, labeling the area in U.S. territory as Gulf of America while maintaining the historical name, Gulf of Mexico, for Mexican and Cuban waters. This legal challenge highlights Mexico's stance against unilateral naming rights of shared resources and reflects the ongoing tensions between the two nations concerning territorial designation. In February, Google first began displaying the name “Gulf of America” for U.S. users while retaining the name “Gulf of Mexico” for users within Mexico and some other regions. In contrast, users from places outside the U.S. see both names on the Google Maps platform. Despite the controversy, Google has explained that their naming policy is consistent across regions, adhering to local official naming conventions. This shift in reference names has prompted international discourse, especially as this issue touches on national identity and territorial rights. In light of these developments, the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives also passed a bill that seeks to formally recognize the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, further complicating U.S.-Mexico relations in this context. Given the contentious nature of this issue, both the legal implications and the geopolitical ramifications are expected to unfold over time as international legal discussions continue regarding the rights to name shared bodies of water. The Mexican government maintains that they are committed to fighting potential infringements on their territorial rights, making this lawsuit a significant pivot in the discourse surrounding the identity of Mexico’s maritime landscape.