The Mexican government is suing popular YouTuber MrBeast, who they claim violated the terms of his archeological permit for the Mayan pyramids by pushing his own snack brand — and profiting from the “heritage that belongs to all Mexicans.”
At the end of a video titled, “I explored 2000 year old ancient temples” — viewed almost 65 million times in a week — MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson promotes his Feastables chocolate peanut butter cup snack, jokingly calling the product a “special Mayan desert” and “the only Mayan approved snack on the planet.”
Mexican authorities said the controversial YouTuber was given a permit to film at the sites — which included popular Mayan pyramid Chichén Itzá near Cancun — but it didn’t include commercial use.
The contentious Feastables scene appears to be filmed at the influencer’s campsite, though the video doesn’t state where exactly that was located.
The 27-year-old YouTuber was also accused of spreading disinformation about the Mayan culture.
“The nation’s heritage, which is public by nature, cannot be exploited by commercial enterprises,” Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History posted in a thread on X announcing the legal action.
“For this reason, the INAH has filed lawsuit against the production company, demanding compensation for damages and a public retraction.”
“We disagree with those who take advantage of the willingness of institutions to violate the terms of the authorizations granted,” Claudia Curiel de Icaza, Mexico’s Secretary of Culture, posted on X.
But the government’s response drew swift criticism from Mexicans.
“Continuing with this farce of sanctioning the YouTuber will only further undermine the government’s credibility,” pointed out one Playa del Carmen resident on X. “The mistake is not MrBeast’s, it is the one who gave them permission from the beginning without investigating the type of content he produces.”
“What a way to shoot yourself in the foot. You got some free publicity… Keep your ego to a minimum,” said Guadalajara’s Moyo Mendozo.
At one point in the video after he enters one of the ancient pyramids, Donaldson says “I can’t believe the government’s letting us do this.” He had access to areas that are restricted to other tourists, including Mexicans.
MrBeast topped the Forbes list for the highest-paid YouTuber in 2024 and has an estimated net worth of $550 million. He’s the most popular person on the platform, with 395 million subscribers.
A MrBeast representative denied the accusations, telling the BBC, “no advertisement material was shot on any archaeological sites overseen by INAH.”
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