Mexico Takes Google to Court Over Map Change to 'Gulf of America'

Mexico has filed a lawsuit against Google for displaying the name "Gulf of America" instead of "Gulf of Mexico" to users in the United States on its Maps platform.

President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the legal action, saying the company's decision ignored multiple diplomatic requests and constitutes a violation of Mexico's sovereign rights over the shared body of water.

The legal move follows months of tension over the matter since U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January directing federal agencies to adopt the term "Gulf of America," arguing the change is justified because the U.S. does "most of the work there, and it's ours." The House of Representatives, under Republican control, later passed a resolution supporting the renaming.

Google, citing adherence to official U.S. government sources, updated its Maps platform in February. U.S.-based users now see "Gulf of America," while Mexican users continue to see "Gulf of Mexico." Users elsewhere see a combined label: "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)."

President Sheinbaum has publicly opposed the change, arguing that the United States lacks authority to unilaterally rename an international body of water. Sheinbaum first addressed the issue in January with a formal letter to Google, arguing that President Donald Trump's order to call it "Gulf of America" is a violation of Mexican sovereignty and noting that the U.S. controls only 46% of the Gulf, while Mexico holds 49% and Cuba 5%.

Sheinbaum has also ironically suggested renaming the U.S. as América Mexicana on maps, referencing historical maps dating back to 1607. While acknowledging she lacks the power to enforce such a change, she argued Trump also overstepped his authority.

Legal experts consulted by The Latin Times back in Ferbruary claimed that Mexico's case is not without merit under international law, but enforcing it against a private company like Google will be difficult. Maritime law expert Peter Walsh stated that:

"Major lawsuits against tech giants, especially when brought by foreign administrations, raise immediate questions about jurisdiction, evidentiary hurdles, and the nature of the alleged wrongdoing"