Why Is Mexico Mad at MrBeast?

ABLUpdated 19 hours Ago2 Mins read0

Photo: John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images

Mexico doesn’t subscribe to the idea that all publicity is good publicity … even if it’s coming from the YouTuber who has the most subscribers in the world. On May 15, a Mexican federal bureau announced that it had taken legal action against a production company that worked with MrBeast on a May 10 video “I titled Explored 2000 Year Old Ancient Temples,” in which he visits Maya archaeological sites such as Chichén Itzá in the state of Yucatán and Calakmul in the state of Campeche. According to CNN, some viewers took issue with the fact that the YouTuber appeared to have been granted access to restricted areas that are considered sacred. (“I can’t believe the government is letting us do this,” MrBeast acknowledged in the video. “It’s truly crazy. Not even archaeologists are allowed in here.” Similarly, when a guide handed him what appeared to be a Maya mask, he asked, “Why is this not in a museum? Why is a YouTuber holding this?”) The inclusion of promo in the video — at one point, while at what appeared to be his campsite, MrBeast plugged peanut butter cups from his Feastables brand by describing them as “the only Mayan-approved snack on the planet” — also drew criticism. Here’s what to know about the controversy that even the president of Mexico herself has weighed in on.

How did MrBeast get access?

He wasn’t trespassing. MrBeast’s video description states that filming was done in collaboration with the Mexican Tourism Board and thanks the National Institute of Anthropology and History, a government agency also known as the INAH.

The INAH confirmed in a May 12 statement that a formal request had been made to allow the YouTuber’s visit. According to the INAH, federal personnel monitored MrBeast’s team the entire time and ensured that no damage was done to the sites. The agency further clarified that the video features post-production work, and that certain events depicted in it — such as people descending from a helicopter, flying a drone inside a pyramid, or spending the night inside of an archaeological site — never happened. The INAH also noted that the mask that MrBeast handled was a contemporary recreation, not an actual ancient artifact.

What did the president of Mexico think?

According to the BBC, when asked for her thoughts on May 14, President Claudia Sheinbaum called for a report on the situation. Specifically, she wanted to know the terms under which the INAH had granted permission for the visit and what sanctions would be imposed if those terms had been violated.

And the INAH took legal action after that?

Yes. The agency announced in a May 15 thread on X announcing that it had filed a lawsuit against Full Circle Media, the production company that worked with MrBeast while he was in Mexico. The INAH said that the terms of the permission granted did not allow for the publication of false information or the use of the image of archaeological sites for advertising purposes or personal profit. The statement took a sterner tone than that of its May 12 statement, which had concluded that despite including “distorted” information, videos like MrBeast’s could still motivate young people around the world to learn about Mexico’s ancestral cultures and visit the country’s archaeological sites.

How did MrBeast respond?

In an email to the New York Times, a spokesperson for MrBeast addressed part of the backlash over the video. “No advertisement material was shot on any archaeological sites overseen by INAH so it is unfortunate that this has turned into a political issue,” the email statement read, “hopefully it can lead to a productive dialogue and encourages people to visit these unique historical treasures.”