The relationship between Mexico and the United States has often been marked by both collaboration and tension, with cultural ties and trade partnerships intertwined with political disagreements.
This complex dynamic surfaced again recently when Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum humorously proposed renaming the United States to “Mexican America”.
This was a response to comments by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
Gulf of America?
Sheinbaum’s remarks came during her regular press conference on Wednesday, where she presented a 17th-century world map labeling much of North America as “Mexican America.”
The suggestion was a tongue-in-cheek reply to Trump’s proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America."
“He talked about names, and we talk about names,” Sheinbaum quipped according to Digi24, emphasizing her country’s historical ties to the region.
Trump, set to take office in less than two weeks, had made the renaming suggestion during a provocative press conference on Tuesday.
He reiterated his hardline stance on immigration and trade, threatening to impose 25% tariffs on Mexican imports if Mexico does not curb the flow of illegal migrants and drugs into the U.S.
Trump also expressed renewed interest in annexing Greenland and the Panama Canal, fueling further controversy.
The president-elect’s claims that Mexico is “run by drug cartels” drew a sharp rebuttal from Sheinbaum, who declared, “Mexico is ruled by the people.”
She also dismissed Trump’s plans to classify Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations, maintaining the position of her predecessor, Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador, who rejected the idea during Trump’s first term.
Despite the playful tone of her comments, Sheinbaum stressed her intention to maintain a positive relationship with the incoming U.S. administration.
“We will build on the good relationship Trump had with President Lopez Obrador,” she said, highlighting Mexico’s status as the U.S.’s number one trading partner.
