Mexico claims MrBeast took advantage of Mayan pyramids for personal gain.

Mexico is demanding compensation from the creators of a recent MrBeast video, accusing the popular American YouTuber of exploiting the country’s ancient Mayan pyramids for commercial purposes.

The video in question, titled “I Explored 2000 Year Old Ancient Temples”, features 27-year-old Jimmy Donaldson—better known as MrBeast—and his team touring historic Mayan sites. Although they had obtained a filming permit, controversy erupted after MrBeast promoted a chocolate product in the video, referring to it as a “Mayan dessert” and encouraging viewers to make a purchase.

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Produced by Full Circle Media, the video has garnered over 60 million views in just one week. While officials confirmed that filming permission was granted, they stressed that it did not cover commercial promotions.

A representative for MrBeast pushed back against the claims, telling the BBC that no promotional content was filmed at archaeological locations under the oversight of Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). They also clarified that the chocolate ad was filmed at a separate campsite and not on protected heritage grounds.

The representative added that the video aimed to showcase the cultural significance of Mayan sites and expressed disappointment that the situation had become politicized. They hoped the incident could lead to a constructive conversation and boost interest in visiting Mexico’s historical landmarks.

However, President Claudia Sheinbaum has called for an investigation into the terms under which the filming permit was issued.

In the video’s description, MrBeast expressed gratitude to Mexican tourism and government officials for allowing access to the locations, while also including links to his chocolate brand.

The footage includes scenes of the YouTuber and his crew accessing restricted areas at Chichén Itzá and Calakmul, descending into a pyramid via helicopter, and handling what appears to be an ancient mask. At one point, Donaldson says, “I can’t believe the government’s letting us do this.”

INAH has disputed several of these scenes, calling them misleading and stating that MrBeast never actually handled an authentic pre-Hispanic artifact. The agency also suggested that post-production effects were likely used to dramatize the helicopter descent.

“These are misleading claims intended to enhance the YouTuber’s theatrics,” INAH said in a statement released Monday.

On Thursday, Mexico’s Secretary of Culture, Claudia Curiel de Icaza, clarified that while permission was granted to film, no authorization was given to disseminate inaccurate information or use footage of national heritage for commercial branding.

She emphasized that while Mexico supports projects that help promote its cultural heritage, it opposes the misuse of archaeological imagery for profit. She also indicated that INAH is considering administrative action against Full Circle Media, the production company behind the video. The BBC has contacted the firm for comment.

MrBeast, who is currently the most-followed individual on YouTube with 395 million subscribers, published the video on May 10.

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