MrBeast Is in a Lot of Trouble With Mexico After Vlogging at Maya Ruins

MrBeast, aka Jimmy Donaldson, has pissed off the Mexican government after he toured some Mexico’s most important archaeological sites. Many of the sites are not accessible to the public, raising questions of how and from whom he received permission to enter them.

After all, in his own words from the video, “not even archaeologists are allowed in.”

The video was published on May 10—just nine days before the publication of this article. In that time, it’s racked up nearly 70 million views.

In it, MrBeast and his gang explore iconic ruins like Chichén Itzá, Calakmul, and Balamcanché. The video shows him inside temples and handling what looks like ancient artifacts.

It’s all well and good, maybe even enlightening for the younger members of his audience. The problem is that some of these places are off-limits to pretty much everyone, including archaeologists, for whom dusty ancient Mexican ruins are their natural habitat.

Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History, INAH, confirmed the visits were authorized, but they were not booked by MrBeast. The permits came courtesy of Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism and the regional governments of Yucatán and Campeche. This isn’t the story of an influencer gone rogue as much as it is the story of bureaucratic miscommunication.

How Did MrBeast Get Access to the Ruins?

Mexico’s astoundingly popular leftist President, Claudia Sheinbaum, has since asked for an investigation into the terms of the permit. Culture Secretary Claudia Curiel de Icaza condemned the video, promising sanctions. The idea of MrBeast being sanctioned by a government is hysterical on its own.

 The INAH says that much of the video is cinematic flair: no helicopters landed near historical sites. And no sacred masks were held by a YouTuber. Also, that overhead drone shot supposedly inside El Castillo, one of the seven wonders of the modern world, was faked.

No details were provided on how exactly they faked the shot. Still, all news is good news, and all publicity is good publicity in the world of entertainment and, apparently, cultural appreciation.

Despite the drama, INAH admitted that if the video sparks curiosity among younger folks to learn about Mexico’s ancient history, maybe that’s not the worst thing.