Mexico has taken legal action against Google over the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” on Google Maps for U.S. users.
The dispute arose after former U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order officially renaming the Gulf for federal agencies, arguing that the U.S. does most of the work in the region and therefore has the right to claim the name.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum strongly opposed the change, asserting that Trump’s order applies only to the U.S. portion of the continental shelf and does not grant the authority to rename the entire Gulf. Sheinbaum’s government repeatedly requested Google to revert the name, but after months of unsuccessful negotiations, Mexico decided to file a lawsuit against the tech giant.
Google defended its decision, stating that it follows official government sources when updating place names on its platform. The company clarified that the name change only applies to U.S. users, while in Mexico and other parts of the world, the Gulf remains labeled as “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)”.
The controversy has sparked diplomatic tensions between Mexico and the U.S., with Sheinbaum even jokingly suggesting that the U.S. should be renamed “Mexican America,” referencing historical maps from before 1848 when Mexico lost a significant portion of its territory to the U.S.
The lawsuit marks a significant moment in international disputes over digital cartography and sovereignty, highlighting the influence of tech companies in shaping geopolitical narratives. As the legal battle unfolds, the outcome could set a precedent for how digital platforms handle politically sensitive geographic names in the future.
TYT Newsroom
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