Key Takeaways:

• Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has officially questioned Google's decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America, as ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
• The name change is intended for Google Maps users in the U.S., while maintaining the Gulf of Mexico label for users in Mexico.
• Sheinbaum argues that such a name change violates international law and the sovereignty of Mexico.

In a notable declaration, Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that she will send a letter to Google, contesting the tech giant's recent decision to comply with U.S. President Donald Trump's directive to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. This controversial name change, set to affect Google Maps in the U.S., stems from an executive order signed by Trump shortly after his inauguration, aiming to alter existing geographical names to reflect a new patriotic vision.

According to a press conference on Wednesday, Sheinbaum expressed her government's position that "changing the name of an international sea should not be dictated by one country." Mexico maintains that the change would only be applicable to the 12 nautical miles off the U.S. coast, a point further reiterated in a letter addressed to Google, which Sheinbaum shared with reporters. "To change the name of a body of water it shares with Cuba and Mexico is unjustifiable," she stressed, asserting that the U.S. has no legal authority to unilaterally impose such changes.

In a cheeky response to Trump's antics, Sheinbaum previously suggested that if renaming is to become a trend, then North America might as well be dubbed "Mexican America," referencing a historical map that designates the region under that title. While the Gulf of Mexico will continue to be recognized as such within Mexico and other global contexts, U.S. users on Google Maps will see both names displayed as applicable.

Despite Google's confirmation of the planned name change and its rationale involving official government naming practices, the tech firm has yet to formally respond to Mexico's appeal. As the diplomatic and cultural implications of this name change continue to unfold, it remains a focal point for U.S.-Mexico relations in the current political climate.

For more details, visit BBC and The Hill.