this post was submitted on 10 May 2025
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President Claudia Sheinbaum says lawsuit has been filed after US lawmakers voted on name change

Mexico has sued Google for changing the Gulf of Mexico’s name to “Gulf of America” for Google Maps users in the United States, Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, said on Friday.

“The lawsuit has already been filed,” Sheinbaum said at her morning news conference, without saying where and when it was submitted.

On Thursday, Republicans in the House of Representatives approved legislation to codify Donald Trump’s policy of renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America”.

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[–] [email protected] 81 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

I hate the move to rename it as well but... Good luck with that. I can't see why any court would even entertain such a suit.

[–] [email protected] 62 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

“All we want is for the decree issued by the US government to be complied with,” Sheinbaum said.

“The US government only calls the portion of the US continental shelf the Gulf of America, not the entire gulf, because it wouldn’t have the authority to name the entire gulf,” she added.

this suit pertains to google's renaming of the entire body of water instead of just the bits over the u.s. continental shelf; or essentially the u.s. eez--which is no more than 200nm from land, less where it runs into another nation's eez.

that region extends roughly due east from the southern tip of texas to 200nm from flordia's gulf coast, then south until it runs into cuba's eez where it's then split between the two countries.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

But what law has been broken? Google can label it "The Gulf of Space-X Debris" and violate no law.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago

Ask the article's author. They could have linked to a PDF court filing but of course they didn't, because they suck at journalism.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

...the u.s. eez–which is no more than 200nm from land...

200 nanometres is 0.002 centimetres. That converts to 0.00078 inches (a bit over 3/4096", if you prefer fractional representation). Surely that can't be correct.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Pretty sure they're using nm to represent nautical miles..

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago

Nautical miles have the symbol of NM or nmi. Maybe M in certain circles.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago

I made the exact same mistake in my head before remembering the word nautical exists.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago

Sorry for being pedantic but, regardless of your misread of the nm unit, 200 nanometers are 0.00002 centimeters. 1 centi is 1e⁻², and 1 nano is 1e⁻⁹.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 3 weeks ago

It’s a petty thing that eats the available bandwidth of Trump’s lawyers. I’m all for it. Overload them with court cases.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 3 weeks ago

Because they are operating in Mexico and are subject to Mexican law.

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[–] [email protected] 66 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

As someone who lives near it, I’ve never heard a single person — even Trump supporters — call it anything but “The Gulf” or “Gulf of Mexico.” Google should let locals decide the name and not some effete New York dandy who has probably never even gone fishing, much less participated in the Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Soon after the "renaming," I saw some comment that just said "Finally!"

Like you, I've never heard anyone complain about the name "Gulf of Mexico," and I've heard Republicans complaining non-fucking-stop for decades, since I first began paying attention to politics as a teenager. How weak and submissive does a person have to be to take such a stupid and petty grievance, and rewrite their own mind as though they were always upset by it?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

And it’s just historically ignorant and obnoxious. Basically all of the historic cities along the Gulf Coast existed before the United States. It was Spanish Florida, the Louisiana territory, and Texas when the US constitution was written. There’s a part of Louisiana called “The Florida Parishes” to this day because north of Lake Pontchartrain (which is actually a brackish estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico) was part of Spanish Florida.

It’s just dumb and, as you mentioned, I don’t know a single person who lives or makes their living along the Gulf Coast who was calling for this. If anything, it’s a pain in the ass for them because now it’s a culture war thing and they have to be conscious that inland morons care. Like if you’re a fisherman, how do you label your catch? Even people who run charter boats out of Venice for bachelor parties in New Orleans now have to contend with this headassery when making ads and web sites or whatever.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Fishing, a hobby reliant on both skill and luck, where practioners must be patient for long periods of time...

Yeah, I just don't see Trump doing that. Even if somehow he were roped into a fishing event, he'd probably make someone else hold his fishing rod and do all the work. He'd still take credit if that person made an impressive catch, of course. But if they didn't catch the absolute Biggliest fish? He could simply deny having taken part in the activity.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder how many Trump voters would change their mind if Trump joined regular, working class people for a day of fishing. No, seriously. Although I don't fish, my dad's an outgoing fisherman, who chats up everyone with a rod out at the lake. I can imagine lots of fishers being excited to have Trump around - at first. But his boasting, his impatience, and his loud voice scaring fish could become very grating very fast. He'd probably have no idea how to hold a flopping fish, a skill that most fishers figure out while still kids, sometimes through the peer pressure of laughter... Which makes it easy to imagine Trump's illusion of "strong masculinity" shattering the moment a slimy fish tail flails across his orange face (go ahead - take a moment to picture it. You deserve a treat.) People would laugh, Trump would feel his ego bruise, and he'd react the way we all know he would - like a toddler.

Yeah, some voters would walk away with their opinions unchanged, but it would be very eye-opening for many.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Google should never have grovelled, and instead should have gone to one of the official geographic societies for correct nomenclature.

not some effete New York dandy who has probably never even gone fishing

There is no chance that Trump could outwit a fish.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

A person is smart. People are stupid, what were you saying again?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I am from the Gulf coast and have always said, when describing where I'm from "the Gulf coast", but since all this bullshit I've been making it a point to say I'm from "the Gulf of Mexico", cause fuck that guy. But also it's fucking dumb, it's all just sea, who gives a shit. Next thing you know he'll be saying the "pacific of America"

[–] Deathray5 2 points 3 weeks ago

"If the tech support guys get an ocean why can't we????" Trump upon hearing about the idea

[–] [email protected] 31 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

We live in the stupidest timeline. What’s next?

Trumpifornia? Yomerica National Park? New Trumpsico? The American Ocean?

[–] [email protected] 27 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

It all started with everyone applauding the “Freedom Fries”. Operation Full Stupid was initiated.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 weeks ago

we took deep personal offense to France seeing us for who we really are

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago

Good god don't give him ideas

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

Trumpifornication?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

The world should call them the PSA. The Police States of America

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[–] [email protected] 30 points 3 weeks ago

I would like to join the lawsuit. As an American in a deeply red state, this name change had caused me emotional distress. I would like to sue the US too, for them being flat out stupid.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

This is another “freedom fries” moment.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago

This is another "This is why blue states have laws against siblings breeding" moment.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 weeks ago

I appreciate the fact that she’s filing another law suit to eat up maga lawyers time with their own bullshit.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Why is it called “gulf of California”? California doesnt even surround it. Time for uno reverse

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago

Because it is surrounded by Baja California peninsula, for which it is named.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago

California was a region much larger than the state is now. Something like half is now in the US and half in Mexico.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The only option is a US state name change back to Alta California and a re-formalization of Baja California’s bay as the Sea of Cortés.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

If we're going to rename it anyway, can we pick someone better to honor? Hernán Cortés was a narcissistic conquistador who destroyed the Aztec empire.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Let's not, the idiots running the show in the US will just rename it to the Gulf of Patriotism or some dumb bullshit.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago

She’s so awesome.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

This is so stupid. I understand the feeling, but having "china" in it's name does not give china a right over the china sea. It is just a name. The same goes for the gulf of Mexico.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Hate to point it out, but it's an entirely different scenario.

43 USC §364.e: With respect to geographic names the pertinent decisions and principles issued by the Secretary shall be standard for all material published by the Federal Government. The United States Board on Geographical Names in the Department of the Interior created by Executive order, is abolished, and the duties of said Board are transferred to the Board herein created, and all departments, bureaus, and agencies of the Federal Government shall refer all geographic names and problems to the said Board for the purpose of eliminating duplication of work, personnel, and authority.

We didn't rename the Gulf, but the way its referenced from within the federal government (and its agencies) was changed by EO. Since Google is a government contractor, they're contractually obligated (and legally obligated) to follow the nomenclature expressed by the US board on geographical names or they risk losing all of their government contracts.

So did we change the name of the Gulf? No. Is it shown different to US residence now? Yes. Google additionally released a statement saying;

“a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.”

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago

I want someone to get in a bar fight in Texas over the name of the Gulf of Mexico

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Obviously Trump's rename of Gulf of Mexico was stupid, but this is ridiculous, how does Mexico imagine they have a right to decide what others call things?
This is stupid meets stupid.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Respectfully, I disagree. They have maps border and place names tailored for each country they deserves.

There is a single country in the world that recognises the name « Gulf of America ». Yet they show that name in all countries, wether that name is recognised or not.

As a European, I don’t care how Trump names that body of water and it pisses me off each time I see that name, in French to make it even more ridiculous.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Yet they show that name in all countries,

No, from the article this is the issue:

for Google Maps users in the United States

As a European they show both as Mexican and American in my language.
The latter is of course moronic, because as you say it is not an acknowledged name in my country, but how would you suggest it is illegal in USA?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

I disagree with the same person, but without respecting them.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago

How about the Gulf Of Alaska? Why isn't it the Gulf Of Canada?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago

Someone had to do it!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

That's the right thing to do! International laws exist, and therefore to be used for anyone who needs it.

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