During the morning conference on January 29, the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced that she would send a letter to Google in response to the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America" on its maps, following the decree issued by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Sheinbaum explained that this change is not official yet, as it depends on a decision from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and has not yet been carried out. In her words, "A country can define its territory, but not the part that is international waters."
The president detailed that the Mexican government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is drafting a letter addressed to Google to clarify the situation and provide technical information about the composition of seas, exclusive economic zones, and the continental shelf. Sheinbaum emphasized the importance of having the modification of the name of an international body of water decided by an international organization, and not by a single nation.
Additionally, Sheinbaum announced that tomorrow the letter sent to Google will be publicly presented in order to correct possible misunderstandings regarding the nomenclature of international seas. The president underscored that the official name remains Gulf of Mexico, and any change would require an international process.
In reference to the case of the Rio Bravo (known as Rio Grande in the United States), Sheinbaum highlighted the international waters and economic platforms shared between Mexico and the United States in the Gulf of Mexico. It is essential, she stated, to precisely clarify the situation given the importance of maintaining the official designation of the gulf.
