MrBeast has tackled the uproar and misconceptions stemming from a vlog he shot while touring ancient Mayan cities, including Calakmul and Chichén Itzá, in Southeastern Mexico.
On Sunday (May 18), MrBeast dropped a statement on his X account trying to calm the storm around his latest YouTube video “I Explored 2,000 Year Old Ancient Temples.” The video showcases Beast’s Mexican adventure, where he ventured into an ancient Mayan pyramid and plugged his Feastables chocolate brand.
According to The Guardian, several Mexican officials and groups were ticked off by Beast’s video and claimed he exploited the country’s cultural heritage. Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, reportedly questioned what authorization Beast had for filming, and the National Institute of Archaeology and History filed a complaint stating the permit Beast and his production company secured didn’t cover filming at archaeological sites.
Beast caught wind of the backlash and issued a statement explaining his real goal was to spotlight the country, insisting there were no filming issues since he got approval from government agencies and even had archaeologists guiding them throughout. He also shared a message from the state governor where filming took place backing Beast and his crew.
“I’ve seen a lot of stories about our recent video in Mexico and wanted to clear some false things being said,” said Beast. “Me and my team have great respect for the Mexican and Mayan culture and people. We did this video to get people all over the world excited to learn more about their culture, much like we did with our Pyramids video. We are not and have never been sued by them lol.”
He continued, “That is false, and it saddens me to see people spreading lies. We filmed with full permits, followed guidelines, had representatives from government agencies following us, Mexican archeologists to make sure we were accurate, AND representatives from the sites to ensure we were following the rules. The governor of the state we shot in even came out in our defense.”
Beast explained that officials were fully aware he’d be promoting his chocolate brand and made sure not to film any content near national monuments. He also revealed the charitable work his team carried out while in Mexico.
“We also never planned on sharing this, but as always my hand is forced by false headlines – behind the scenes we funded wells and water projects in the state,” Beast wrote. “I’ve also been working with INAH on a fund to support local Mexican archeology and new discoveries because I wanted to help spread the culture as a thanks for allowing us to film.”
Layda Elena Sansores, the Governor of Campeche, also put out a statement thanking Beast and his crew for visiting the city and bringing more spotlight to it through his platform.
