Mexican president sues Google for 'Gulf of Mexico' name change

BOGOTA/ISTANBUL

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday her government filed a lawsuit against Google for changing the "Gulf of Mexico" to the "Gulf of America" on its US-based maps.

Sheinbaum said at her media briefing at the National Palace in Mexico City that the government previously warned Google about the issue, but those concerns were not addressed.

"Google has already been sued. A preliminary ruling has been issued, and we are currently awaiting the outcome," she said.

Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico does not object to the "Gulf of America" being used for the portion of the Gulf adjacent to US shores.

"However, Google cannot label the entire Gulf that way. This is an international issue. Our request is that Google apply the name 'Gulf of America' only to the areas corresponding to US territory, and use 'Gulf of Mexico' for the regions bordering Mexico and Cuba," she said.

Sheinbaum added that the topic had not come up in phone conversations with US President Donald Trump.

Trump previously signed an executive order Jan. 20 directing the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America."

Google announced Feb. 11 that it had implemented the name change on its map platform.