A visit to the Youtuber Mrbeast at famous archaeological sites in Mexico triggered a hot discussion – and even called the Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. On Wednesday (local time), the head of state called for the responsible authorities to explain how the US influencer was actually able to reach the public. Previously, a video from Mrbeast from old Maya sites had caused violent criticism.
Mrbeast has 394 million subscribers on YouTube. His video “I have explored 2000 years old temple” published on May 10th has already been viewed more than 57 million times. In the video, the Youtuber visits the Maya sites of Calakmul, Chichen Itzá and Balamcanché in southeast Mexico. When he enters a pyramid in the middle of the jungle, Mrbeast says: “Nobody actually comes to this place. I cannot believe that the government allowed us that.”
The video brought him a lot of criticism, for example, an internet user wrote: “What privileges does this foreigner have to film in places to which not even we Mexicans have access?” Another comment was: “He only disregards culture for likes.” Others, on the other hand, praised the video and explained that the internet star had behaved respectfully on site.
The debate rocked so high that President Sheinbaum now spoke a word of power: the archaeological sites were protected by the National Institute of Archeology and History (Inah), she said. “Apparently he had an approval of the Inah. Now this must explain the conditions under which this approval was granted. And if the approval is not observed which sanctions are threatened.”
