Dear John,

Trump wants to erase history and grow the US empire by renaming the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America,” and Google Maps is going along with it. This isn’t just another Trump headline to laugh at. It’s a billionaire-fueled power grab that advances a racist, nationalist agenda of domination and imperialism. 

Tell Google: Keep the Gulf of Mexico’s name intact on all versions of Google Maps!

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.

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.”

And it is no coincidence that the Gulf of Mexico is rich in oil and natural resources. The U.S. has long sought to dominate Mexico’s energy sector, from backing oil company boycotts against Mexico’s nationalized industry in the 1930s to forcing trade deals that benefit U.S. corporations over Latin American sovereignty. Renaming the Gulf isn’t just symbolic, it reinforces the idea that the U.S. has a territorial and economic claim over these waters and their resources. Already, overseas and U.S. companies are responsible for massive oil spills in the gulf, poisoning our oceans and sea life! 

 Google must refuse to be a tool of U.S. economic and territorial dominance. Demand that it keeps the Gulf of Mexico’s rightful name intact on all versions of Google Maps!

Google, a trillion-dollar company, should stand for truth—not cave to Trump’s authoritarian fantasies. This is the same man who denies climate change, embraces war criminals, and now wants to rewrite geography for political clout. Instead of pushing back, Google is collaborating.

We’ve seen this before: big tech companies bowing to power when it serves their interests. What does it say when one of the world’s biggest search engines, where people go to find factual information, is pandering to a US president and his political whims? Protecting truth and facts is critical in moments like these. Renaming the Gulf of Mexico is about more than just a name – it represents another step towards fascism and deepens the United States colonial and environmental exploits! 

Google Maps must not be a tool for imperialist propaganda. Call on Google to uphold the Gulf of Mexico’s rightful name and resist any attempt to erase history on all versions of Google Maps!

Other Ways to Engage

For too long, the U.S. has failed to be a good neighbor fueling displacement through military interventions, economic warfare, and sanctions that harm everyday people in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. Instead of offering refuge, the U.S. criminalizes and deports those fleeing these conditions. We refuse to let our neighbors be terrorized! Check out our ICE Resistance Toolkit for resources to resist raids, protect immigrant neighbors, and take action against deportation policies

A true Good Neighbor Policy means respecting sovereignty, ending military intervention, and choosing cooperation over domination. The U.S. has a long history of controlling and exploiting Latin America, it’s time to change course. Join us in demanding a real Good Neighbor Policy rooted in justice and peace

In radical solidarity,
Medea, Michelle, Teri, and the CODEPINK Team