Mexico is suing Google over its controversial decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America on Google Maps for users in the United States. This action follows an executive order issued by Donald Trump after he became US President, which directed federal agencies to change the name of the body of water to the Gulf of America. Google was one of the first companies to comply with this order by updating its Maps service to reflect the change.
The name change only applies to Google Maps users in the US. For users in Mexico, the Gulf remains the Gulf of Mexico. For other international users, such as those in India, Google displays it as the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).
President Claudia Sheinbaum strongly criticized the change, asserting that no country has the right to unilaterally rename a body of water with international borders. She emphasized that while the US can name parts of its own territory as it wishes, it cannot rename areas that belong to Mexico or other nations. Sheinbaum highlighted that the Gulf of Mexico is a body of water with international attribution and that the lawsuit is aimed at ensuring respect for territorial and geographic sovereignty.
Mexico's government had previously warned Google that it would take legal action if the name change wasn't reversed. Despite these warnings, Google denied Mexico's requests. Cris Turner, Google’s Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy, defended the company’s actions, stating that Google was simply adhering to its longstanding, impartial map policies.
Mexico’s legal challenge argues that the US-specific executive order should not extend to influence maps in foreign territories or international waters. The US House of Representatives has also passed a bill, with strong support, to formally adopt the name “Gulf of America”, which would require all federal agencies to update their maps accordingly.
While Google and Apple have both made changes to their Maps platforms, it remains unclear whether Mexico will pursue legal action against Apple as well. Some mapping services, such as MapQuest, have so far resisted making the changes.
The specifics of Mexico's legal complaint against Google have not yet been disclosed.
