Mexican President Asks Google to Not Use Gulf of America on Maps Platform Despite Trump's Executive Order

Mar. 15, 2025

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in December 2022.Photo:Toya Sarno Jordan/Bloomberg via Getty

Toya Sarno Jordan/Bloomberg via Getty

Mexican PresidentClaudia Sheinbaumis taking another stand againstDonald Trump’s efforts to change theGulf of Mexico’s name to the Gulf of America.

According to reports fromCNNandReuters, Sheinbaum announced on Thursday, Jan. 30 that she had sent a letter to Google, imploring the tech giant not to comply with Trump’s order to rename the gulf.

“In the case of Mexico, where are we completely sovereign? In the area established as 12 nautical miles from the coastline, and this applies to all countries worldwide,” the letter (originally in Spanish), states, per CNN.

“If a country wants to change the designation of something in the sea, it would only apply up to 12 nautical miles. It cannot apply to the rest, in this case, the Gulf of Mexico. This is what we explained in detail to Google,” Sheinbaum told reporters, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Nov. 6, 2024.ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP via Getty

ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP via Getty

Sheinbaum also spoke about the previous half-joking counterproposal she made to Trump to rename the US as “América Mexicana” or Mexican America, using a map from 1607.

“We ask that when you put Mexican America in the search engine, the map appears that we presented,” she added, referring to a map provided to the public earlier this month.

“Also longstanding practice: When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name,” the X post states. “Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. That applies here too.”

Google did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Thursday.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Jan. 23, 2025.Anna Moneymaker/Getty

Anna Moneymaker/Getty

Trumpfirst announcedthe idea for renaming the body of water the Gulf of America on Jan. 7, sharing in a press conference that he thought the change was “appropriate.”

“We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America — which has a beautiful ring. That covers a lot of territory,” he said. “The Gulf of America, what a beautiful name.”

The 47th president later signed anexecutive orderdeclaring that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed on Monday, Jan. 20.

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Sheinbaum previously told reporters that she believes Trump should only be able to rename the American part of the body of water.

“He says that he will call it the ‘Gulf of America’ on its continental shelf. For us, it is still the Gulf of Mexico and for the entire world it is still the Gulf of Mexico,” Sheinbaum said on Jan. 21, per theAssociated Press.

source: people.com