"Google Has No Authority to Rename the Entire Gulf of Mexico"
Google Labels It as "Gulf of America" Since February
The Mexican government has taken legal action against Google for labeling the entire Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" (Americaman), a name newly designated by U.S. President Donald Trump, on its maps.
On May 9 (local time), Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated at a regular press conference, "Our government has filed a lawsuit against Google for changing the regional name without authorization," adding, "The legal proceedings are already underway."
President Sheinbaum said, "What we want is for Google to strictly comply with the guidelines set by the U.S. government," and explained, "According to the U.S. presidential executive order, the designation 'Gulf of America' is specified only for the area corresponding to the U.S. coastal continental shelf." She further emphasized, "Google does not have the authority to rename the entire Gulf of Mexico as the 'Gulf of America.'"
The executive order by President Trump regarding the 'Gulf of America' name change applies only to certain areas of five U.S. states bordering the Gulf of Mexico, and does not extend to the broader Gulf regions belonging to Mexico and Cuba.
Since February 10, Google has begun labeling the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" on its maps for users in the United States. In response, Google explained that this measure was in accordance with President Trump's January 20 executive order directing the 'standardization of U.S.-centric place names.'
On his inauguration day, January 20, President Trump issued a directive to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, sparking conflict with Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico, a body of water surrounded by the southeastern United States, northeastern Mexico, and the island nation of Cuba, has long been recognized by the international community under its original name. Nevertheless, President Trump maintained his stance, insisting, "The Gulf of America is our sea," and proceeded with the renaming.
Donald Trump, President of the United States, is speaking with a map labeled 'Only America' placed beside him. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
President Trump, who declared February 9 as "Gulf of America Day," has also had a contentious relationship with the Associated Press (AP), which continued to use the term "Gulf of Mexico" in its reports instead of "Gulf of America." AP faced restrictions on White House press access for not following President Trump's directive to change the name, and subsequently filed a lawsuit. The court ruled that "the Trump administration's actions violated the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of expression, and constituted an infringement on press freedom."
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