A diplomatic and digital dispute has surfaced over the name of a key body of water after Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Friday that her government has filed a lawsuit against Google for labeling the body of water between the U.S. and Mexico as the “Gulf of America” on its mapping service.
The move comes in response to an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on his first day back in office earlier this year, in which he directed U.S. agencies to refer to the body of water—traditionally known as the Gulf of Mexico—as the Gulf of America. Although the order is only legally binding within the United States, it appears to have influenced Google’s global map labeling, sparking diplomatic concern in Mexico.
“We have sovereignty over our continental shelf,” President Sheinbaum declared, referencing Mexico’s territorial rights in the region. Though she did not provide specific legal arguments in Friday’s announcement, her administration has been vocal for months about opposing the rebranding of the Gulf.
The Mexican Foreign Relations Ministry has reportedly issued multiple formal complaints to Google, urging the tech company to reverse the name change and preserve the historic “Gulf of Mexico” designation on its platform. The legal action marks a significant escalation in what had previously been a war of words.
President Sheinbaum had warned in February of possible legal consequences if Google did not comply. At that time, she argued that Trump’s executive decree should only apply to U.S. territorial waters, stating: “That name change should be restricted to the continental shelf of the United States because Mexico still controls much of the Gulf.”
The Gulf—bordered by long coastlines in both nations—is a vital geographic and economic zone, home to key shipping lanes, marine biodiversity, and extensive oil and gas reserves.
Google has not yet issued a public response to the lawsuit.
