Mexican authorities have accused YouTube megastar MrBeast of exploiting ancient Mayan archaeological sites for profit in a recent viral video, saying the content violated the terms of a government-issued filming permit. The video, titled "I Explored 2000 Year Old Ancient Temples," has racked up over 60 million views since its release on May 10. In it, MrBeast — whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson — explores restricted areas of the Calakmul and Chichén Itzá sites and promotes a chocolate product branded as a "Mayan dessert." Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) said while it had granted permission for filming, it did not authorize the footage for commercial advertising. Authorities claim the video includes "false assertions," such as the YouTuber descending into a pyramid via helicopter and handling a pre-Hispanic artifact — scenes they say were fabricated or staged in post-production. "All of these are false assertions that obey the theatricality of the YouTuber in question," INAH said in a statement. Mexico's Secretary of Culture, Claudia Curiel de Icaza, condemned the video's use of national heritage for branding purposes. "We disapprove of any commercial pursuit that distorts the value of archaeological sites, which are a legacy of our indigenous cultures and the pride of our nation," she said Thursday, announcing that sanctions against the video's producer, Full Circle Media, are under review. President Claudia Sheinbaum has ordered a formal investigation into how the filming permit was granted and whether it was misused. A representative for MrBeast told the BBC that the promotional material was not filmed on archaeological grounds and defended the video's intent as a celebration of Mexico's heritage. "It was meant to highlight these treasured Mayan sites... it's unfortunate this has turned into a political issue." MrBeast, the most-subscribed individual on YouTube with 395 million followers, has not publicly commented on the accusations. — BBC
