Key takeaways:

• Mexico is awaiting a new response from Google regarding its naming of the Gulf of Mexico as “Gulf of America” before filing a lawsuit.
• Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum argues the name change violates Mexican sovereignty.
• Google asserts that the renaming complies with its mapping policies under U.S. regulations.

MEXICO CITY — Mexico is poised to take legal action against Google should the tech company continue to label the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” in its mapping services. Following a letter from Google vice president of government affairs and public policy Cris Turner, which emphasized the company's adherence to “longstanding mapping policies,” President Claudia Sheinbaum reiterated Mexico's demands during a press conference on Monday. She stated, “We will wait for Google’s response and if not, we will proceed to court” according to the Los Angeles Times.

Under the current changes, users accessing Google Maps from the U.S. see the name “Gulf of America,” while users in Mexico continue to see “Gulf of Mexico.” Meanwhile, users outside these territories are presented with both names. This shift follows President Donald Trump's executive order, which, Sheinbaum argues, applies only to U.S. waters and not the entire Gulf, of which Mexico controls about 49% and Cuba approximately 5% reported Forbes.

Sheinbaum expressed that the use of the name “Gulf of America” for the entirety of the Gulf infringes upon Mexico's rights, stating explicitly, “Under no circumstance will Mexico accept the renaming of a geographic zone within its own territory and under its jurisdiction.” In the letter from Mexican authorities, Sheinbaum asserted that the renaming goes beyond the authority of any national government or private entity, which requires a legal response if not addressed as reported by Business Insider.

In a prior correspondence, Google maintained that their mapping changes are consistent with their product policies designed to represent geographic features accurately, reflecting updates from the U.S. Geographic Names Information System. This response seems to have exacerbated tensions as Mexico seeks a resolution before considering a civil lawsuit against the tech giant.

As the matter unfolds, both Mexico and the U.S. have hosted high-level talks on related trade issues, indicating the geopolitical sensitivities surrounding this dispute as noted by Al Jazeera. Implications of this naming issue stretch beyond legal ramifications, impacting broader U.S.-Mexico relations during a critical period.

More details on this story can be found in the original articles at HuffPost, The Hill, and The Daily Beast.