What simply occurred? Google is being sued by Mexico over the tech big’s relabeling of the Gulf of Mexico because the Gulf of America for US Maps customers, regardless of repeated requests from the nation to revert the change. Google made the replace in February following President Trump’s proclamation that decreed the renaming and the following title change by the federal Board on Geographic Names.
Trump signed the manager order altering the title of the physique of water on his first day in workplace in January.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote a letter to Google quickly after asking it to rethink its choice to point out the change on Google Maps. She shared a reply from Google VP of presidency affairs and public coverage Cris Turner stating the corporate had no plans to alter its coverage. A month later, Sheinbaum threatened to take Google to courtroom if it did not rename the placement.
Google says the title change on Maps is a part of its long-standing coverage of adhering to official authorities names for places and different geographical options.
Though Google Maps customers within the US now see the Gulf of America title, it seems as Gulf of Mexico to these in Mexico. The remainder of the world sees each names on Google Maps.
Mexico argues that the coverage violates Mexican sovereignty because the US has jurisdiction over round 46% of the Gulf, whereas Mexico controls 49% and Cuba controls 5%.
Sheinbaum mentioned that Trump’s government order solely applies to the portion of the continental shelf belonging to the US.
“All we would like is for the decree issued by the US authorities to be complied with,” Sheinbaum mentioned.
“The US authorities solely calls the portion of the US continental shelf the Gulf of America, not your complete gulf, as a result of it would not have the authority to call your complete gulf,” she added.
We have obtained just a few questions on naming inside Google Maps. Now we have a longstanding follow of making use of title modifications once they have been up to date in official authorities sources.
– Information from Google (@NewsFromGoogle) January 27, 2025
On Thursday, the US Home of Representatives permitted laws to codify the coverage of renaming the Gulf for Mexico. It makes the change official for federal companies, which shall be directed to replace thier maps accordingly.
CBS Information writes that Sheinbaum introduced the lawsuit in her each day press briefing, however didn’t present particulars of the go well with.
When Trump first introduced the renaming plans forward of his inauguration, Sheinbaum remarked that Google ought to rename North America to América Mexicana, or Mexican America, as a result of an 1814 founding doc that preceded Mexico’s structure referred to it that approach.
