Mexico has filed a lawsuit against Google due to a change in the labeling of the Gulf of Mexico, which has been altered to the US Gulf on its mapping platform. This action aligns with a directive from Mexico’s president, although the specifics of the lawsuit were not disclosed by the officials. The legal action follows earlier threats made by Claudia Sheinbaum in February concerning the name issue.
During a press briefing, Sheinbaum mentioned that they would await Google’s legal perspective on this matter, expressing hope for a revision. Previously, the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs had urged Google to refrain from redesignating the ocean area as the American Gulf.
This name change came after an order signed by Donald Trump, which took effect on his first day back in office this January, officially redesignating the northern stretch of the Gulf Coast to the US Gulf. This water area straddles the border between the United States and Mexico, and the authority for this order lies solely within US jurisdiction.
According to Mexican officials, the Gulf label should only be applicable to the US continental shelf. The Gulf’s territorial divisions show the US controlling about 46%, Mexico around 49%, and Cuba holding approximately 5%, based on data from Sovereign Limits, which tracks international boundaries.
Sheinbaum expressed concerns about Google’s actions, arguing that the changes imply a renaming of continental shelves in Mexico and Cuba, which, she insisted, should not be influenced by Trump’s directives meant only for US jurisdictions. The Gulf is now displayed on Google Maps as the US Gulf of the United States, alongside references to the Gulf of Mexico, which has held that name for over 400 years.
Google Maps defended its decision by stating that the renaming for US users followed longstanding practices and was in line with US government initiatives. If the official name varies by country, Google’s policy indicates that users will see the local official name.
In February, Sheinbaum relayed a response from Cris Turner, Google’s vice president, indicating that the company would not revise its approach following Trump’s order. The announcement of the lawsuit coincided with House Republicans passing legislation that endorses Trump’s name change, a bill which is now moving to the Senate.
