Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has formally requested Google to reconsider a decision that could see the Gulf of Mexico renamed on its popular mapping service. The controversy arises from a previous executive order in the US, aiming to officially designate the body of water as the “Gulf of America” for users within the United States. This proposed change on the Map Of The Gulf Of Mexico, specifically on Google Maps, has sparked international debate and drawn criticism from Mexico.
The heart of the issue lies in the differing perspectives on geographical naming conventions and international maritime law. While the executive order, signed during Donald Trump’s presidency, sought to impose the new name domestically, Mexico argues that such a unilateral change is not legally sound beyond territorial waters. According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a nation’s sovereign territory extends only 12 nautical miles from its coastline. President Sheinbaum emphasized this point in her letter to Google, stating that any name alteration should be geographically limited to the US’s immediate coastal zone.
Map of the Gulf of Mexico on Google Maps, highlighting the region at the center of a naming dispute.
Google’s response to the situation indicates a policy of reflecting names as they are officially recognized by local governments. In a public statement, the tech giant explained, “We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.” This approach is also being applied to the renaming of Mount Denali to Mount McKinley within the US on Google Maps, again following a US government order. Google clarifies that users outside the US will continue to see the established, internationally recognized name for the Gulf. “When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name,” the statement further explained.
However, the Mexican government views the issue as more than just a matter of localized naming. President Sheinbaum has openly criticized Google’s willingness to comply with what she considers “the mandate of a country” concerning “an international sea.” She argues that the Gulf of Mexico’s name is a matter of international consensus and history, not subject to unilateral alteration by any single nation. In a lighter vein, Sheinbaum playfully suggested that Mexico might also request Google to rename regions, perhaps hinting at “Mexican America,” to highlight the reciprocal absurdity of the US’s proposition. This humorous jab underscores the underlying seriousness of Mexico’s stance on preserving the historical and internationally accepted map of the Gulf of Mexico.
The debate reflects a broader discussion about geographical sovereignty and the influence of digital mapping platforms in shaping perceptions of the world. While Google aims to reflect official designations, the case of the Gulf of Mexico highlights the complexities when geographical names become points of political contention between nations. For now, the map of the Gulf of Mexico on Google Maps remains a point of discussion, awaiting further developments and potentially a formal response from Google to Mexico’s request.
