Mexico awaits new response from Google regarding renaming of Gulf of Mexico, files lawsuit

Mexico has said it expects a new response from Google on its request to restore the Gulf of Mexico's rightful name on Google Maps before filing a lawsuit against the US technology giant.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum showed the public a letter her government received from Chris Turner, Google's vice president of government relations and public policy.

The letter states that Google will not change its policy after US President Donald Trump ordered that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the Gulf of America.

"We will wait for Google's response, and if it doesn't arrive, we will go to court," Sheinbaum told reporters.

As things stand, for Google Maps users in the US, the gulf is called the "Gulf of America", and for users in Mexico and other countries around the world, it is called the "Gulf of Mexico".

Turner said in his letter that Google is using the name "Gulf of America" ​​to follow "a long-standing policy regarding maps, impartially and consistently across regions" and that the company is willing to meet directly with the Mexican government.

"While international treaties and conventions are not intended to regulate how private mapping providers represent geographic terms, it is our consistent policy to consult multiple authoritative sources to provide data that is the most up-to-date and most accurately represents the world," Turner wrote.

Mexico claims that Google's maps policy violates the country's sovereignty, as the US has jurisdiction over only 46 percent of the Gulf, while Mexico controls 49 percent and Cuba five percent.

The term "Gulf of Mexico" dates back to 1607 and is recognized by the United Nations.

In response to Turner's letter, Mexican authorities said they would take legal action and that "under no circumstances do they agree to the renaming of a geographical area within their territory under their jurisdiction."

The renaming of the bay further strains already tense relations between Mexico and the US due to Trump's threat to impose 25 percent tariffs on Mexican goods.

The change in the name of the bay also affected the political climate in the US, with the White House banning Associated Press journalists from reporting from several events, including the Oval Office, simply because it insisted on the internationally recognized name of the bay - with the obligatory mention of the name given by Trump.