Mexico has threatened to take legal action against Google if the company proceeds with renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” for its Maps users in the United States, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday.
Sheinbaum confirmed that the Mexican government had sent another letter to Google, reiterating that the executive order signed by former President Donald Trump only applies to the part of the Gulf located on the U.S. continental shelf.
The letter emphasized that “under no circumstances will Mexico accept the renaming of any geographical area that includes part of its national territory,” Sheinbaum stated. “We will await Google’s response, and if it is unsatisfactory, we will proceed with legal action.”
The Mexican government had previously warned of potential legal steps, with Sheinbaum stating on Friday, “If necessary, we will file a civil suit.”
Trump’s executive order, issued shortly after his inauguration on January 20, directed the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico. In a lighthearted response, Sheinbaum suggested that the U.S. could be renamed “Mexican America,” referencing historical maps from before 1848, when a large portion of Mexico was ceded to the U.S.
While Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has stated that users in Mexico will still see the Gulf of Mexico name, users in other countries will see both names. Meanwhile, Apple has already changed the name to the “Gulf of America” for U.S. users of its mapping application to comply with the order.
AFP
