Mexico is suing Google over ‘Gulf of America’ identify change for US customers

The Mexican authorities has filed a lawsuit towards Google for renaming the Gulf of Mexico because the Gulf of America in Maps inside the US. Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum mentioned throughout a press convention that the lawsuit has already been filed, however as The Guardian notes, she did not say when and the place it was submitted. Sheinbaum argued that the Trump administration’s order for a reputation change solely applies to the US portion of the oceanic basin and that the US authorities does not have the authority to rename the entire physique of water. “All we wish is for the decree issued by the US authorities to be complied with,” she mentioned.

Google renamed the Gulf of Mexico into the Gulf of America for customers who open Maps within the US again in February. It first announced that it was going to take action the earlier month and mentioned it was solely ready for the US authorities to make the change official within the Geographic Names Info System (GNIS), which serves because the “federal and nationwide customary for geographic nomenclature.” BBC mentioned the Mexican authorities wrote to Google on the time to get it to rethink earlier than ultimately threatening authorized motion.

When Google introduced the identify change for US customers, it defined that it was following a longstanding follow to point out official native names for locations in Maps after they fluctuate between international locations. In Mexico, the basin continues to be known as the Gulf of Mexico, whereas it exhibits up as “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)” for customers outdoors each international locations.