The Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum is investigating legal options against Google for labeling the Gulf of Mexico “Gulf of America”. This change has been allegedly influenced by the decree of former U.S. Presiden Donald Trump and has caused a controversy about national sovereignty.
Main Issue: Protecting the name of the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico is a name that has been used for centuries and which enjoys international recognition. This established name has a long history and is well-known internationally. Mexico views the change in name as an infringement of its sovereignty.
Mexico’s Reaction to Name Change
Sheinbaum said that, while Trump’s order may be applicable to the U.S. shelf of continental shelves, it is not extended to Mexico’s sovereign right over its Gulf. Mexico has officially communicated to Google its disapproval, asserting that an internationally recognized geographic name cannot be changed unilaterally. Gulf of Mexico has been called that since 1607 by both the United Nations and other international organizations.
Google says that it bases its naming practices on government-approved sources. The label that appears on Google Maps for Gulf depends on user location, among other factors.
Sheinbaum explained the importance of geographical names by citing past disputes over naming, like the Rio Bravo/Rio Grande dispute. Sheinbaum’s suggestion was to use the historical term “Mexican America” as a context. This is an old reference in Mexico’s constitution that refers to North America.
Trump’s Executive Order & Subsequent Actions
An executive order was issued by the former president Trump to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico from “Gulf of America”. The former president’s decision to change Mount Denali back to Mount McKinley was also a “honoring American greatness” move. FAA released a charting notification to update maps and aeronautical charts.
Some reports suggest that Google Maps displays both the names “Gulf of America”, and “Gulf of America”, for users located in the United States. U.S. Congressmen, like Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski highlighted the cultural and historic importance of Trump’s reversed renaming of Mount Denali. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, on the other hand, was a strong advocate of “Gulf of America”.
Renaming Controversy: Perspectives
President Sheinbaum stated: “We will wait. We have already seen, observed what the implications of this are from a legal perspective, but we still hope for a revision.”
She added: “All Google needs to do is look up the White House decree, which President Donald Trump has signed.” In that decree you’ll notice that it doesn’t refer to the entire gulf.”
The Next Steps
Mexico can escalate the issue by initiating legal actions if a resolution with Google cannot be found. The U.S. could then engage in diplomatic talks with Mexico.
Key Words and Entities
This article includes the following entities: Claudia Sheinbaum. Donald Trump. Google Maps. Gulf of Mexico. Gulf of America. Mexico. United States. naming controversy. geographical naming conventions. sovereignty. FAA. Mount Denali. Mount McKinley. Rio Bravo. Rio Grande. legal action. executive order. geopolitical tensions.