Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has written a letter to Google asking the agency to rethink its choice to rename the Gulf of Mexico.
US President Donald Trump signed an govt order requiring the physique of water – which is bordered by the US, Cuba and Mexico – be renamed the Gulf of America in his first week in workplace.
However it can solely seem on Google Maps with the brand new title for folks based mostly within the US – elsewhere on the planet it can retain its present title, which has been used for tons of of years.
There is no such thing as a worldwide organisation accountable for the naming of our bodies of water.
However Mexico argues the U.S. can’t legally change the Gulf’s title as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Legislation of the Sea dictates that a person nation’s sovereign territory solely extends as much as 12 nautical miles out from the shoreline.
“[The name change] might solely correspond to the 12 nautical miles away from the coastlines of the USA of America,” Sheinbaum mentioned.
Google has not but responded to the BBC’s request for remark.
However in an announcement on social media on Monday it mentioned: “We have now a longstanding observe of making use of title adjustments after they have been up to date in official authorities sources.”
It should additionally rename Mount Denali as Mount McKinley within the US, following one other order from Trump.
“When official names differ between international locations, Maps customers see their official native title,” it mentioned.
Sheinbaum has criticised Google’s choice, saying the agency shouldn’t reply to “the mandate of a rustic” to vary the title of “a global sea”.
However she appeared to poke enjoyable at Trump’s transfer by joking Mexico could demand Google make some further renaming choices.
“By the way in which, we’re additionally going to ask for Mexican America to seem on the map,” she mentioned.
Sheinbaum beforehand joked she would take into account renaming North America as “América Mexicana” within the nation.
“He says that he’ll name it the Gulf of America on its continental shelf,” Sheinbaum beforehand mentioned when Trump signed the manager order.
“For us it’s nonetheless the Gulf of Mexico, and for your complete world it’s nonetheless the Gulf of Mexico.”