Mexico urges Google to reconsider Gulf of Mexico name change

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has formally requested that Google reconsider its decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico, following an executive order by former US President Donald Trump to rebrand the body of water as the "Gulf of America."

In a letter addressed to the tech giant, Sheinbaum argued that the Gulf’s name could only be altered within the territorial waters of the United States, which extend up to 12 nautical miles from its coastline, as stipulated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

"The name change could only correspond to the 12 nautical miles away from the coastlines of the United States of America," Sheinbaum said. She went on to criticize the decision, asserting that Google should not bow to “the mandate of a country” when it comes to altering the name of an international sea.

While the name change will only appear on Google Maps for users within the United States, the Gulf will retain its longstanding name of the Gulf of Mexico for the rest of the world. The move follows Trump’s executive order during his first week in office, which also includes renaming Mount Denali back to Mount McKinley in the US.

Google, however, has defended its decision, noting its practice of updating place names when they are officially altered by government sources. In a statement, the company explained, "When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name," it said.

Sheinbaum has taken the opportunity to poke fun at the situation, humorously suggesting that Mexico could request further renaming changes, including rebranding the continent as “Mexican America.”

"By the way, we are also going to ask for Mexican America to appear on the map," she said.

Despite the controversy, Sheinbaum remains firm in her stance, asserting that for Mexico and the international community, the Gulf will always be the Gulf of Mexico. "For us it is still the Gulf of Mexico, and for the entire world it is still the Gulf of Mexico," Sheinbaum added.

By Vafa Guliyeva