US YouTuber MrBeast sparks controversy by filming at Mexico’s archaeological sites

Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, is at the center of another controversy, and this time it directly involves Mexico. MrBeast, who is by far the YouTuber with the most subscribers in the world (surpassing the second-place user by almost 100 million), published a video on May 10th in which he visited some of Mexico’s most important archaeological sites, including Chichén Itzá in the state of Yucatán, home to the Temple of Kukulkan pyramid, known as El Castillo, one of the seven wonders of the modern world. MrBeast also visited the archaeological sites of Calakmul in the state of Campeche and Balamcanché in Yucatán. The video, which as of Wednesday afternoon has accumulated more than 55 million views, shows MrBeast and his team in the surroundings of Kukulkan, but also inside other archaeological structures, in cenotes and temples. Some of these sites are not permanently accessible to the public, as the Mexican government has acknowledged. What is the controversy surrounding MrBeast in Mexico? The controversy centers on the fact that the YouTuber was allowed entry to sites considered sacred to Mexico’s pre-Hispanic cultures, which in many cases are restricted. In one part of the video, MrBeast himself says: “I can’t believe the government is letting us do this. It’s truly crazy. Not even archaeologists are allowed in here.” In response to the controversy, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) – an agency attached to the Mexican government’s Ministry of Culture – declared on Monday that both the visit and the recording were carried out through “formal requests.” These requests, however, were not made by MrBeast, but rather by “the federal Ministry of Tourism and the governments of” Yucatán and Campeche, the INAH indicated. In the description of his video, MrBeast claims that the publication is a “collaboration with the Mexican Ministry of Tourism.” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday that there were permits for the “broadcast,” but asked the INAH to report “under what conditions this permit was granted.” “And if the permit was violated, then (it must be determined) what sanctions apply,” the president added. Other points have also caused controversy, such as a drone shot that appears to be inside the temple at the top of El Castillo in Chichén Itzá. Regarding this, the INAH said that this did not occur and that the shot was in fact recorded outside the structure. There are also scenes where MrBeast appears to descend to the archaeological sites by helicopter or where he holds a pre-Hispanic mask in his hands. All of this, the INAH says, is either false or was edited after the recording: “Clearly, the video involves extensive audiovisual post-production work and alludes to events that did not occur, such as the fact that the producers never descended from a helicopter, spent the night inside the archaeological site, or possessed a pre-Hispanic mask, as the one presented is clearly a contemporary reproduction. All of these are false assertions that reflect the theatricality of the YouTuber in question.” How easy is it to apply for permits? Is it true that not even archaeologists can enter, as MrBeast claims? Exploring, filming, and broadcasting in Mexican archaeological sites is a restricted activity that few are allowed to do. The INAH stated that, while institute personnel were supervising MrBeast’s activities at all times, access was granted to an area that is not permanently accessible to the general public. “The tours were conducted in publicly accessible areas without affecting visitor access. In the case of Calakmul, the substructure of the Structure II was also visited. Although it is not permanently open to the public, it does provide access by arranging a scheduled visit in advance and with justification, as is the case with tours conducted with the communities surrounding the archaeological site,” it said in its Monday statement. Sheinbaum asked the INAH to provide information on the nature of the permit for the MrBeast video. Until it is announced, its scope and the points it covers are unknown. However, by law, exploration of Mexico’s archaeological sites is permitted for a very small group of institutions. In September 2024, the INAH responded to a request for citizen information requesting the “requirements and steps” necessary to enter the Kukulkan pyramid at Chichén Itzá. In this request, the director of the Chichén Itzá Archaeological Zone, José Francisco Javier Osorio León, mentions that “in accordance” with the provisions of the Federal Law on Archaeological, Artistic, and Historical Monuments and Zones, “all types of material work to discover or explore archaeological monuments will only be carried out by the National Institute of Anthropology and History or by scientific institutions or those of recognized moral standing, with prior authorization.” Likewise, Article 31 of this law states that the authorizations granted by the INAH must specify “the terms and conditions to which the work must be subject, as well as the obligations of those who carry it out.” While the details of the permits for MrBeast’s video are still unknown, the INAH stated that, although the YouTuber’s video offers “distorted” information, its dissemination “may motivate interest among young audiences in Mexico and around the world to learn about our ancestral cultures and visit archaeological sites.” Meanwhile, Federal Culture Secretary Claudia Curiel de Icaza spoke out against the activities carried out by MrBeast and his team at the archaeological sites. “This isn’t the first time this type of incident has happened, and it’s been clarified. Of course we don’t agree, and of course there will be appropriate sanctions because that’s not what these spaces are for,” Curiel de Icaza said Tuesday at a decorative and utilitarian art event. CNN has reached out to MrBeast for comment.