JAKARTA - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, on Thursday, January 30 delivered an official letter sent by his government to Google. The letter contains objections to the plan of the Google Maps platform to accept the name change of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, as decided by the President of the United States, Donald Trump.

President Trump, who recently took office on January 20, 2025, signed an executive order that changed the names of several locations, both inside and outside the United States. One of the most controversial changes is the name change of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

At a press conference at the National Palace, Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that this change violates the historical heritage and sovereignty of Mexican culture. "We ask Google not to recognize this change because the Gulf of Mexico has been in use for more than 400 years and has deep meaning to our nation," Sheinbaum said.

The move comes after several major tech platforms, including Google and Apple, received pressure from US politicians to reflect the name change in their map apps.

Google stated that it would update Google Maps if the United States Geographical Name Information System (GNIS) had been officially changed. However, until now, the name displayed on Google Maps is still Gulf of Mexico.

Meanwhile, Apple is taking different steps. In a search at Apple Maps, the name Gulf of America will appear when users in the United States look for the term. However, the description and data displayed still mention the Gulf of Mexico. Users outside the United States are still looking at the full Gulf of Mexico name, and the search for "Gulf of America" only directs to other information, such as clothing stores.

Apple's move is considered a temporary solution. If users look for the name "Gulf of America" in the United States, the name will appear on the map, but the description still refers to the Gulf of Mexico. After the search is ended, the name that reappeared into the Gulf of Mexico.

For Google users in the United States, name change will be displayed as the American Gulf. Meanwhile, outside the United States, these two names will appear with one of the names in bracket. In Mexico itself, Google ensures that what is displayed is only the name Gulf of Mexico.

Although Apple and Google are trying to find a middle ground, this solution is considered not satisfactory enough for many parties, especially the Mexican government. "We will continue to fight for recognition of the real name of the Gulf of Mexico, both legally and on global technology platforms," said Sheinbaum.

The change in the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America is seen as a move that has sparked diplomatic tensions and has drawn widespread criticism from various parties, both at home and abroad. The Mexican government hopes that their move can pressure tech companies to respect the history and sovereignty of their territory.


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