Mexican president to seek explanation from Google over Gulf of Mexico name change

MEXICO CITY

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday that her administration will send a letter to US tech giant Google to address President Donald Trump's executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.”

The executive order was among the first signed by Trump the day after he was sworn in to office.

“We are sending a letter to Google first to tell it: I suppose Google Maps will know about this international division, it will also know which organization is the one that gives the name to the international seas and what would correspond in any case to the continental shelf,” said Sheinbaum, speaking at a press conference.

While she had previously shrugged off Trump’s nationalistic pledge and even jokingly suggested that North America, including the US, be renamed “America Mexicana,” she said Wednesday that the US did not have the right to rename the Gulf of Mexico, as much of it is in international waters.

Google confirmed Monday that it would rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America for its US users.

It will remain the Gulf of Mexico in Mexico, while users outside the US and Mexico will see both names on Google Maps.