Mexico Is Suing Google Over the ‘Gulf of America’ Name Change, and the Internet Is Living for It
Mexico has officially filed a lawsuit against Google. The lawsuit comes after the tech giant ignored requests not to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico. The Mexican government has attempted to work with the tech company, but to no avail. The Mexican government is pushing back against the “Gulf of America” following months of pushback with the United States government.
Mexico is taking a stand for the Gulf of Mexico
In a recent press briefing, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a lawsuit filed against Google. The Mexican government threatened legal action if Google changed the Gulf of Mexico’s name for American users. She did not provide further details on the lawsuit or where it was filed. The lawsuit comes after ongoing tensions over the matter.
President Sheinbaum trolled the U.S. government when they first made the announcement, when she suggested renaming the U.S. América Mexicana.
Since January, President Sheinbaum has pushed back against the United States’ push to rename the Gulf of Mexico. The body of water, bordered by the U.S., Mexico, and Cuba, has been the Gulf of Mexico since the 17th century. The Gulf of Mexico is recognized around the world. The announcement was met with jokes about a party that has railed against pronouns and preferred names yet demanded people recognize a preferred name for the gulf.
Tech giants folded so quickly to President Trump’s wish to rename the Gulf of Mexico
The “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness” executive order was signed early into President Donald Trump’s second term. The announcement was met with bewilderment around the world and resistance to catering to the administration’s dubious claims. However, tech giants, like Google, bent a knee and voluntarily offered to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico on their services. President Trump’s order only impacted federal agencies but, like with the reversal of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), some private corporations folded under perceived pressure.
Google claims that the name change was in step with the “longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources,” according to NBC News.
The Trump administration is desperate to make people fall in line
The current federal government’s attempt to dictate language has caused tension. The Associated Press was barred from the White House briefing room when it refused to use the Gulf of America when referring to the body of water.
The Associated Press filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the Trump administration. Despite their best attempts at controlling the media and language, U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden ruled that the Associated Press must be readmitted to White House press events.
“Under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists—be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere—it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints,” Judge McFadden, who was appointed by President Trump, wrote in his decision. “The Constitution requires no less.”
Mexico’s lawsuit comes after a vote in the House to codify the name change
The House of Representatives voted on the Gulf of America Act to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico. The vote, unsurprisingly, fell along party lines with the slim Republican majority pushing it over the finish line. The next step for the legislation faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where Republicans hold a small majority.
