Mexico Threatens Legal Action Against Google Over ‘Gulf of America’ Naming Dispute

Mexico said it will wait for a response from Google before filing a suit. The country wants Google to restore the Gulf of Mexico name to Google Maps.

Cris Turner is Google’s Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy. He wrote a letter to Sheinbaum, the president. The letter says that Google won’t change its policy after U.S. President Donald Trump declared this body of water to be the Gulf of America.

Sheinbaum told reporters at a press conference on Monday morning that he would wait for Google to respond and, if they did not, he would take the matter to court.

Currently, the Gulf appears in Google Maps as the Gulf of America within the United States, as Gulf of Mexico within Mexico, and the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America) elsewhere. Turner in his letter said the company was using Gulf of America to follow “longstanding maps policies impartially and consistently across all regions” and that the company was willing to meet in person with the Mexican government.

He wrote: “While international conventions and treaties are not intended as a way to regulate the way private mapping providers represent geographical features, our policy is to consult a variety of authoritative sources to provide the most accurate and up-to-date representation of the globe.”

Mexico argues that the U.S. mapping policy violates Mexican sovereignty because they only have jurisdiction over 46% of the Gulf. Mexico controls 49% of the Gulf, and Cuba controls 5%. The United Nations recognizes the name Gulf of Mexico, which dates back to 1607.

In response to Google’s letter, Mexican officials said they would take legal action, writing “Under no circumstances will Mexico accept a renaming of a geographic zone within its territory and under their jurisdiction”.

Trump’s renaming has heightened tensions between Mexico, the U.S., and their allies at a crucial time.

Sheinbaum had to tread a thin line between Trump’s tariff threats and Mexico, and other Latin American nations who were bracing themselves for mass deportations that have yet to be felt.

Along with his legal threat against Google, President Pea Nieto announced on Monday that Mexico will host high-level meetings this week to discuss trade and security as part of a long-term collaboration plan between the U.S. and Mexico.

Mexico is hoping to avert a bigger geopolitical crisis in the latest round between the two nations.

The renaming of the water body has fueled strife within the U.S. as well.