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Mexico has escalated its dispute with tech giant Google by filing a lawsuit over the company's decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" for its Google Maps users in the United States. The legal challenge was announced by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who stated, "The lawsuit has already been filed," although she did not specify the location or exact date of submission.
This legal action follows a controversial move initiated by the then-US president, who instructed the US Board on Geographic Names to implement the name change shortly after assuming office. His reasoning was that the "ocean basin was 'ours' and the US did 'most of the work there.'" Google subsequently announced its intention to align its naming convention with the US government's directive for the gulf, which is bordered by the United States, Mexico, and Cuba.
President Sheinbaum had previously warned Google that Mexico was considering legal action unless the company reversed its decision. "For us, it is still the Gulf of Mexico, and for the entire world it is still the Gulf of Mexico," she asserted in January. Adding fuel to the fire, US lawmakers on Thursday voted in favor of the name change, effectively codifying the former president's executive order into federal law.
Mexico's legal argument centers on the assertion that the US executive order should only apply to the portion of the continental shelf belonging to the United States, not the entire gulf. "All we want is for the decree issued by the US government to be complied with," Ms. Sheinbaum explained. "The US government only calls the portion of the US continental shelf the Gulf of America, not the entire gulf, because it wouldn’t have the authority to name the entire gulf."
At the time of the initial name change, a Google spokesperson defended the company's position by stating, "We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources. When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name. Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. That applies here too."
Google's practice of displaying multiple names for disputed locations was highlighted as precedent. For instance, the sea between Japan and Korea is labeled "Sea of Japan" (Tokyo's preferred name) with "East Sea" (Korea's preference) in brackets. A similar approach is used for the Falkland Islands, which are also labeled "Islas Malvinas" in brackets.
Interestingly, the United Kingdom has indicated it will not adopt the "Gulf of America" designation, despite the US order. Sources indicate that Britain will continue to use "Gulf of Mexico" unless the new title gains widespread usage in the English language.
The lawsuit filed by Mexico underscores the strong sentiment surrounding the geographical designation and sets the stage for a potential legal battle over the naming of a significant body of water shared by multiple nations.
