Mexico is protesting Google’s decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, citing concerns over US sovereignty and international law. The move follows an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump.
The Mexican government has written a letter to Google, requesting that the company reconsider its decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. This move is in response to an executive order signed by former US President Donald Trump, which required the name change.
The Gulf of Mexico has been referred to by its current name since the early 16th century.
However, there have been proposals and discussions about changing its name due to various reasons such as cultural sensitivity or geographical accuracy.
Some suggestions include naming it after a specific region or feature within the gulf, like the Mississippi River or the Yucatán Peninsula.
Any official name change would require international agreement and coordination among countries bordering the Gulf of Mexico.
Google’s Stance on Official Names
According to Google, it follows a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources. However, the company also stated that when official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name. This means that while the Gulf of America will appear on Google Maps for users based in the US, it will retain its current name, Gulf of Mexico, elsewhere in the world.
Google Maps is a web mapping service developed by Google.
It provides detailed information about geographical locations, including street maps, satellite imagery, and real-time traffic updates.
“The platform uses GPS data, user contributions, and other sources to offer turn-by-turn directions and location-based services.”
The platform uses “GPS data, user contributions, and other sources” to offer turn-by-turn directions and location-based services.
The platform uses GPS data, user contributions, and other sources to offer turn-by-turn directions and location-based services.
Launched in 2005, Google Maps has become an essential tool for navigation, with over a billion active users worldwide.
Mexico’s Sovereignty Concerns
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has expressed concerns over the US government’s ability to change the name of an international body of water. According to Sheinbaum, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea dictates that a country’s sovereign territory only extends up to 12 nautical miles from its coastline. Therefore, Mexico argues that the US cannot legally change the Gulf’s name.
Sheinbaum’s Joking Remark
In response to Trump’s executive order, ‘Mexico may demand Google make additional renaming decisions’ , including changing North America to ‘América Mexicana‘, Sheinbaum jokingly suggested.
