Mexico Rebukes Google Maps Over Gulf of Mexico Name Change

Sun Oct 12 2025 20:48:44 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum calls for Google to retain the Gulf of Mexico's name after a U.S. directive attempts to rebrand it.

In a formal letter, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum urges Google to reconsider its planned renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, stemming from a U.S. executive order. While the name change will only reflect in the U.S. version of Google Maps, Sheinbaum insists it undermines historical naming conventions.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has formally requested that Google Maps maintains the historic name of the Gulf of Mexico, following a recent directive from the U.S. government to rename the body of water. This request arises from an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump during his early days in office, which mandated the alteration of the Gulf's name to the Gulf of America. Although the change will only apply to users accessing Google Maps within the United States, Sheinbaum's argument highlights international naming rights and historical precedent.

Sheinbaum has raised legal objections against the U.S. decision, citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which stipulates that a nation’s sovereignty over coastal waters extends just 12 nautical miles out. She emphasized, "The name change could only correspond to the 12 nautical miles away from the coastlines of the United States of America."

In a statement responding to the controversy, Google mentioned its practice of updating map names to reflect official government changes but has yet to respond directly to the Mexican government's concerns. The company intends to follow the changes as instructed, including renaming Mount Denali back to Mount McKinley for users in the U.S.

Amidst the resonating implications of this renaming dispute, Sheinbaum has also jested about the potential need for further name changes, quipping that Mexico might ask to rename the entire continent, suggesting "América Mexicana." "For us it is still the Gulf of Mexico, and for the entire world, it is still the Gulf of Mexico," Sheinbaum reiterated, affirming her nation's historical claim to the name.