We are writing to express our opposition to Google changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico on Google Maps to the “Gulf of America” to reflect President Donald Trump’s executive order.

The Gulf of Mexico is more than just a body of water; it is a shared resource of immense ecological, economic, and cultural significance for Mexico, the United States, and the world. It plays a critical role in regional trade, fisheries, and energy production, hosting some of the most important offshore oil reserves in North America. Such a designation carries real-world implications, reinforcing territorial claims over waters and resources that are internationally recognized as shared.

The name “Gulf of Mexico” dates back to the year 1550, and by the next century, it had become the most recognized name for that body of water. Its name is recognized by international bodies like the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN), organizations created to ensure that geographic names remain neutral and based on historical fact. The Mexican government has already formally rejected the renaming, emphasizing that no single country has the right to unilaterally change the name of an international body of water and that under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a country's sovereign territory only extends up to 12 nautical miles from the coastline.

Even if Google only applies this change in the U.S., it normalizes the idea that facts can be rewritten to serve a political agenda. 

Volunteer cartographers on OpenStreetMap and other platforms are already debating how to handle such changes, understanding the risk of allowing politically motivated rebranding of internationally recognized geographical names.

Google’s role as a globally trusted source of geographic information should not be compromised by decisions based on political pressure rather than truth and international recognition.

At a time when diplomacy and mutual respect should be prioritized, honoring the internationally accepted name would send a clear message that Google values historical accuracy, global cooperation, and good neighborly relations. Erasing “Mexico” from our maps isn’t an aberration. It’s part of a long pattern of anti-Mexican racism in the U.S., ranging from political scapegoating and border militarization to violent rhetoric that fuels hate crimes. But this move goes beyond that. It fits into a much larger U.S. strategy of controlling the Western Hemisphere, one that dates back to the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, which claimed the U.S. had the right to dictate who influences Latin America.

For decades, this policy has justified U.S. wars, coups, and economic control over the region. It relies on military alliances, economic interventions, and exploitation of Latin America’s rich natural resources. This isn’t just about Trump’s ego, it’s part of a long, imperialist history of treating Latin America as the U.S. “backyard.”

We urge Google to reject this renaming, uphold international norms, and maintain the Gulf of Mexico’s name on all versions of Google Maps.