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World / Americas

Mexico says to sue Google if it insists on using 'Gulf of America'

Published: 17 Feb 2025 - 07:48 pm | Last Updated: 17 Feb 2025 - 07:49 pm
This photo illustration shows the Gulf of Mexico branded as Gulf of America displayed on the Google Maps application on a tablet on February 11, 2025, in Bogota, Colombia. (Photo by Luis ACOSTA / AFP)

This photo illustration shows the Gulf of Mexico branded as Gulf of America displayed on the Google Maps application on a tablet on February 11, 2025, in Bogota, Colombia. (Photo by Luis ACOSTA / AFP)

AFP

Mexico City: Mexico will take Google to court if it insists on changing the Gulf of Mexico's name to "Gulf of America" for Maps users in the United States, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Monday.

She said her government had written again to the US company arguing that President Donald Trump's executive order on the subject only applies to the part of the continental shelf belonging to the United States.

The letter informs Google that "under no circumstances does Mexico accept the renaming of any geographic area that includes part of its national territory and that is under its jurisdiction," she said.

"We will wait for Google's response and, if not, we will proceed in court," Sheinbaum said at her daily news conference.

Sheinbaum had announced on Friday that her government was considering legal action against Google, saying: "If necessary, we will file a civil suit."

Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico soon after his January 20 inauguration.

In response, Sheinbaum cheekily suggested calling the United States "Mexican America," pointing to a map dating back to before 1848, when one-third of her country was seized by the United States.

Google, which is part of tech giant Alphabet, said that users of its Maps app in Mexico would continue to see the name "Gulf of Mexico" while those in third countries would see both names.

Apple has also renamed the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America" for US users of its mapping application to comply with Trump's order.