Mexico is demanding that Google Maps reinstates the name "Gulf of Mexico."

On Monday, Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that she expects a response from Google regarding the demand to restore the Gulf to its widely accepted name, threatening to take legal action against the company if it fails to comply. Previously, Google had sent an explanation to Mexican authorities stating that international agreements do not set rules for the use of geographical names by private mapping services, which is why Google relies on various sources to determine the most accurate designation.

The dispute between Mexico and Google arose from the company's decision to use the name American Gulf for users of the Google service in the United States. For users in Mexico, the name Mexican Gulf remains, while both names are shown on Google maps in the rest of the world, with the new name presented in parentheses. Google's decision to change the name followed an official decision by the U.S. Department of the Interior to rename the gulf in accordance with a directive from President Trump. This directive also restored the historic name McKinley for Denali, the highest mountain in North America located in Alaska.

From Mexico's perspective, the renaming of the gulf undermines its sovereignty, as it has jurisdiction over 49 percent of the gulf, while the United States has jurisdiction over 46 percent. In a statement, the Mexican government asserted that it "will not accept the renaming of a geographical area that lies within its territory and under its jurisdiction under any circumstances."

Following the enforcement of President Trump's directive, the use of the new name became mandatory for all U.S. government agencies. Last week, the Trump administration denied reporters from the Associated Press access to several official events, including those at the White House, expressing discontent with the agency's continued use of the name Mexican Gulf alongside American Gulf in its reports.