Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that the country intends to take legal action against Google if it continues to label the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America for users in the United States. Sheinbaum argued that the renaming, initiated by a decree under former US President Donald Trump, only affects the US continental shelf and does not extend to the entirety of the Gulf.
The Mexican government deems Google’s actions as an “incorrect” alteration of the region’s name, asserting that the Gulf’s designation should remain consistent with its long-standing name. Sheinbaum highlighted that residents in Mexico still see it listed as the Gulf of Mexico, while users globally recognise both names.
Last week, Sheinbaum initially warned Google about the potential for a civil suit if the tech giant did not amend this perceived misrepresentation. During a press conference, she disclosed that Google’s correspondence confirmed that users in Mexico would continue to see the Gulf referred to correctly, while those in the US would see the contentious term.
Mexico is sending a new letter to Google, stating that any references to the Gulf of America should only pertain to the US maritime boundaries. Should Google not comply, Sheinbaum reiterated that Mexico would explore appropriate legal measures.