Key Takeaways:

• Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum demands Google reconsider its decision to name the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America."
• The name change reflects an order from former U.S. President Donald Trump, sparking tensions between the two countries.
• If unresolved, Mexico may pursue legal action against Google, asserting the historic name "Gulf of Mexico" is internationally recognized.
• Google's policy entails applying name changes based on official government sources; currently, the name displayed varies by user location.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has issued a strong warning to Google regarding its decision to alter the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" for users in the United States. Following an executive order issued by former U.S. President Donald Trump in January, this renaming has prompted Sheinbaum to seek a review and potentially legal recourse. In her statements, Sheinbaum emphasized, "If necessary, we will file a civil suit," indicating that their legal team is already assessing the implications of such a move. She argued that Trump's directive is limited to U.S. sovereignty and does not extend to Mexican territory, asserting that the historic name has been globally recognized since at least 1607, a point she underscored during a recent news conference.

Despite Mexico's efforts to contest the change, Google has maintained its position, citing that its naming policies rely on official declarations. Currently, users in Mexico still see the Gulf referred to as the "Gulf of Mexico," whereas those in the U.S. encounter the altered designation. Google Maps shows both names in various regions outside the two countries. The contentious nature of this renaming echoes previous geopolitical disputes, including the disagreement over the naming of the border river, known as the "Río Bravo" in Mexico and the "Rio Grande" in the U.S. Indigenous groups in other locales have similarly criticized related name changes, such as the reversion of Denali back to Mount McKinley.

Sheinbaum maintains a steadfast stance, asserting that Mexico "won’t back down." She called for Google to re-evaluate the U.S. government's decree, asserting, “You will see that it does not refer to the entire Gulf, but to the continental shelf.” The international ramifications of such a name change could lead to heightened diplomatic tensions between the United States and Mexico, as historical geography has long impacted relations between the two nations. As the dispute evolves, further legal discussions could influence the future of geographic naming conventions in both countries. For further details, check Channel News Asia, Reuters, Newsweek, and India Times.