Trump's Gulf Name Change Stirs up a Legal Storm with Mexico
Mexico initiates legal action against Google for altering designation of Gulf of Mexico
Want to know about the latest international spat? Mexico has taken Google to court over the rebranding of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America"! In a press conference, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced, "That's right, folks, we've filed a lawsuit against Google." The details of the lawsuit's location and date are under wraps for now.
Sheinbaum pushes Google to comply with the wording of former U.S. President Trump's decree, which sparked the name change in January. According to Sheinbaum, the decree only covers the U.S. continental shelf; the whole Gulf? That's a different story. As she put it, "The Yanks can call their bit the Gulf of America, but they can't lay claim to the entire Gulf – they don't have the authority for that!"
Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, made the name switch in its mapping service back in February. For U.S. users, it's now the "Gulf of America." For Mexicans, it's still the "Gulf of Mexico." And for the rest of the world, both labels are shown. Google defends its move, stating that this is standard practice for disputed place names.
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives gave the name change the green light. However, the bill's chances of passing the Senate are slim, as it relies on Democratic votes. The bill orders U.S. federal agencies to align their documents and maps with the new name.
This fuss started when Google, following U.S. legislative action, edited the Gulf's moniker in its Maps service. Mexico's response? Take 'em to court! [1]
[1] The U.S. government's authority to rename the entire Gulf of Mexico has been questioned in the context of the lawsuit between Mexico and Google. According to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the U.S. government can only refer to the portion of the U.S. continental shelf as the "Gulf of America," not the entire Gulf, due to a lack of authority to do so. Sheinbaum argues that Trump's decree only applies to the U.S. continental shelf and emphasized, "They wouldn't have the authority to name the entire gulf" [1].
- The Commission, urged by Mexico's decision to file a lawsuit against Google over the Gulf of Mexico name change, has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation in policy-and-legislation, especially in the context of global politics and general news.
- As a side note from the Gulf of Mexico name change controversy, a WhatsApp labeling policy update has been met with frustration from some users, who have expressed concerns about privacy and potential political manipulation.
- In a departure from the Gulf of Mexico legal standoff, President Sheinbaum took a moment during her press conference to emphasize the importance of worker safety and urged the development of a comprehensive directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation.
- The gulf between the American and Mexican stances on the Gulf of Mexico name change has spurred a wave of debate in both countries, with many questioning the political repercussions and legal implications of the name change within the broader landscapes of lawsuits, policy-and-legislation, politics, and general news.
