Mexico Considers Legal Action Against Google Over Gulf Name Dispute
The Mexican government is contemplating legal action against Google over the naming of the Gulf of Mexico on Google Maps. The dispute arose after U.S. users of Google maps began seeing the body of water labeled as the American Gulf
starting in February.
President Sheinbaum’s Proclamation
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaumová addressed the issue at a recent press conference, confirming the potential legal challenge.She had previously warned of possible legal procedures months ago but waited until after a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to finalize the decision.
U.S.House Vote Fuels Dispute
The U.S. House of Representatives, with a republican majority, passed a law that officially confirmed the renaming of the water area.If this law also passes in the Senate, U.S. federal authorities would be obligated to use the new name. Though, this renaming would only be binding within the U.S., adn other countries might not adopt it.
Did you know? The Gulf of Mexico is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean,largely enclosed by the North American continent. It is bordered by the United States,Mexico,and Cuba.
Trump’s Executive Order
The House vote was a response to an executive order signed by than-President Donald Trump on his first day in office in January, which changed the name of the Gulf. We do most of the work there, it’s ours,
Trump justified at the time.
Google’s Conflicting Names
Currently, Google Maps displays three different names for the water area depending on the user’s location. In the United States, it is labeled as the American Gulf,
while Mexican users see Mexican Gulf.
Both variants are visible in the rest of the world.
pro Tip: Clear your browser’s cache and cookies to see if the name displayed on Google Maps changes. This can sometimes reflect different regional settings.
Mexico’s Stance
The Mexican government finds this compromise unacceptable. President Sheinbaum argues that the U.S. Presidential Decree only applies to the portion of the Gulf under U.S. control, not the entire territory. According to the Mexican government, the United States lacks the authority to rename the entire Gulf. We only want Google to adhere to the decree issued by the US government,
stated a high-ranking Mexican official.
Google’s Defense
Google defends its naming practices by stating that it adapts its names to the official government decisions in each country, based on long-term experience.
Crimean Peninsula Example
Google’s approach is similar to its handling of the Crimean Peninsula. While Russian users see the territory as part of the Russian Federation, the rest of the world views it as either Ukrainian or disputed territory.
