Mexico has filed a lawsuit against Google for renaming the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America” on Google Maps for users in the United States.
According to President Claudia Sheinbaum, the lawsuit has already been filed, although the location and timing of the submission remain undisclosed.
The controversy began when former US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico for federal use.
Google updated its maps to reflect the change, citing its policy of adapting to official government changes. However, Mexico’s government argues that the US lacks the authority to rename an international body of water.
“We do most of the work there, and it’s ours,” Trump claimed, sparking widespread criticism. In response, Sheinbaum cheekily suggested calling the United States “Mexican America,” referencing a map from before 1848 when one-third of Mexico’s territory was seized by the US.
Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico’s lawsuit seeks to enforce the US decree within its own boundaries. “All we want is for the decree issued by the US government to be complied with,” she said.
“The US government only calls the portion of the US continental shelf the Gulf of America, not the entire gulf, because it wouldn’t have the authority to name the entire gulf.”
Google has yet to respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit. The company had previously justified the change, stating it reflects official government designations.