MrBeast’s Chichén Itzá video scrutinized by Mexican public, officials

YouTube megastar MrBeast is facing scrutiny from Mexican authorities and outrage from the nationalist implicit his caller video filmed astatine the protected archaeological sites Chichén Itzá and Calakmul.

Officials person accused the highly palmy contented creator of producing misleading theatrics portion defending the legality of his permits.

The main contention implicit the video is not truthful overmuch MrBeast’s entree to Chichén Itzá and Calakmul (shown here), but alternatively his undermining of practice with theatrical portrayals, for which Culture Secretary Claudia Curiel de Icaza demanded “appropriate sanctions.” (Cuartoscuro.com)

Kansas-born Jimmy Donaldson, 27, known arsenic MrBeast, has astir 394 cardinal YouTube subscribers — much than anyone other successful the world, and that includes YouTube channels for entertainers, celebrities and corporations.

He’s famed for high-budget stunts, philanthropy and viral challenges similar a real-life Squid Game — and adjacent for launching MrBeast Burgers successful Mexico City successful 2023 (now with 36 locations passim Mexico).

Smashed cheeseburgers and Beast-style fries aside, his May 10 video “I Survived 100 Hours In An Ancient Temple” has amassed much than 55.7 cardinal views successful 4 days.

But it has besides drawn fierce disapproval for showcasing restricted areas astatine a brace of UNESCO World Heritage sites: Chichén Itzá successful the authorities of Yucatán and Calakmul successful Campeche.

Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) confirmed Donaldson obtained permits done the national Tourism Ministry and authorities governments, and that his filming was supervised by unit to “ensure nary harm to heritage.”

However, the institute criticized the video’s “distorted information” and “theatricality,” clarifying that cardinal scenes were fabricated.

One of those scenes was a drone purportedly flying wrong the temple enclosure atop Kukulkán, a pyramid besides known arsenic El Castillo that was illegally scaled by 2 tourists successful March. 

Toward the extremity of his video, MrBeast says, “What secrets laic successful that past room? Out of respect for the civilization and each the radical who clasp this precise sacred, we are not going to interaction the temple. Instead, we’re going to alert this drone up to spot what’s successful that room.”

However, successful a property merchandise titled “YouTuber Mr. Beast’s sojourn to practice sites was carried retired successful compliance with INAH regulations,” INAH contends this did not hap due to the fact that the drone was flown lone extracurricular of the chamber.

“The video includes extended audiovisual post-production enactment and alludes to events that did not occur, specified arsenic the information that the producers ne'er descended from a chopper [onto the apical of a pyramid] oregon spent the nighttime wrong the archaeological site,” INAH added.

Another faux scene, according to INAH, included a “pre-Hispanic funerary mask” handed to Donaldson. It was not an artifact, but “clearly a modern reproduction,” according to INAH.

In her Wednesday greeting property conference, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated permits were legally granted but ordered a review.

“If the support was violated, [we will] spot what sanctions come,” she said, arsenic quoted by the paper Mileno.

Culture Secretary Claudia Curiel de Icaza condemned the video’s often theatrical portrayal of restricted zones and demanded “appropriate sanctions” for undermining practice sanctity.

INAH Director Diego Prieto emphasized nary harm occurred but acknowledged nationalist entree protocols were misrepresented.

Social media users accused Mexican authorities of favoritism, noting locals and adjacent researchers look stricter access. Some critics brought up imaginable corruption, asking, “How overmuch wealth did helium pay?”

Donaldson, whose nett worthy reportedly exceeds $550 million, began posting gaming videos successful 2012 earlier gaining fame with stunts similar counting to 100,000. His philanthropic ventures, including tree-planting inaugural #TeamTrees, opposition with criticisms of “charity porn” that exploits poorness for views.

With reports from Milenio, El País, La Jornada and El Financiero