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Mexico’s president explains 'in detail' why Google shouldn't rename Gulf of Mexico
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Thursday that she has formally asked Google not to comply with an order from former U.S. President Donald Trump to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" on its maps platform.
During a press conference, Sheinbaum shared the letter she sent to the tech giant, emphasizing that the U.S. cannot unilaterally rename a shared body of water. She pointed out that the Gulf is bordered not only by the U.S., but also by Mexico and Cuba.
Citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Sheinbaum explained that a country's sovereign rights extend only 12 nautical miles from its coastline. “If a country wants to change the name of a maritime area, it only applies within those 12 miles—it doesn’t extend beyond that,” she said. “This is exactly what we explained to Google.”
Speaking at a press conference, Sheinbaum presented the letter she sent to the tech company, stressing that the United States cannot unilaterally rename an international body of water. She highlighted that the Gulf is bordered not only by the U.S., but also by Mexico and Cuba.
Sheinbaum referenced the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, noting that a country's sovereignty only extends 12 nautical miles from its coastline. “If a nation seeks to rename a maritime area, that change is only valid within its 12-mile territorial waters—it does not apply beyond that,” she said. “This is precisely what we communicated to Google.”
Gulf of America? Google Plans Name Update in Maps App Following Official Changes
Google has announced it will update the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" in its U.S. Maps app—once the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) officially recognizes the change.
“For geographic features in the U.S., we follow GNIS updates,” a Google spokesperson said. “When that system is updated, Google Maps in the U.S. will reflect the change to show Mount McKinley and the Gulf of America.”
The company also emphasized its long-standing naming policy: “When official names differ between countries, Google Maps displays the local official name for users in that region. For users elsewhere, both names are shown. This will be the case here as well.”
Contributors: Elizabeth Weise & Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY; Reuters
Reporter: Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY
Follow Gabe on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.
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