Mexico, Jan 09, (V7N) - Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has strongly rejected U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America." She countered Trump’s suggestion with her own remark, proposing that the United States be renamed "Mexican America."

 
During a press conference on Wednesday in Mexico City, Sheinbaum Pardo used a 17th-century map of North and South America as a visual aid. The map labeled much of North America as "America Mexicana," reflecting the historical ties of the region to Mexico.
 
“The Gulf of Mexico is recognized internationally by the United Nations,” she stated, pointing to the map. “But why don’t we call this entire area ‘Mexican America’? It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”
 
Trump, speaking at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Tuesday, had announced his intention to rename the body of water separating Miami and Cancun. “We’re going to call it the Gulf of America,” Trump declared. “It’s a beautiful name and it’s appropriate because we do most of the work there. It’s ours.”
 
Trump did not provide specifics on how or when the change might be implemented, saying only that further details would be shared in the future.
 
In response, Sheinbaum Pardo highlighted a separate 19th-century map depicting the vast territories that were once part of Mexico. These areas include present-day U.S. states such as California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.
 
The exchange underscores ongoing tensions between the two leaders. Trump has previously criticized Mexico for not doing enough to curb illegal immigration into the U.S. and has threatened tariffs on Mexican imports.
 
Sheinbaum Pardo defended Mexico’s efforts to address migration issues, citing a significant decrease in illegal border crossings. However, she did not hold back in her criticism of Trump’s proposed name change, concluding with a playful jab: “We’ll call it Mexican America. It’s a pretty name, don’t you think?”
 
END/WD/SMA/