Jimmy ‘MrBeast’ Donaldson has once again found himself embroiled in controversy, as Mexican authorities accuse him of exploiting the Mayan Pyramids by allegedly promoting a Feastables product.
The incident in question happened in a YouTube video entitled ‘I Explored 2000-Year-Old Ancient Temples.’ Since being uploaded last week, it has amassed over 70 million views. During the video, Donaldson appeared to promote one of his products as a ‘Mayan dessert.’
While Donaldson and his team had a permit to film on the site, Mexican authorities say that they didn’t agree to him using the location for commercial gain. As reported by the BBC, Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico called for an investigation into the terms of the filming permit.
Additionally, Claudia Curiel de Icaza, Mexico’s Secretary of Culture, told the BBC: “We disapprove of any commercial pursuit that distorts the value of archaeological sites, which are a legacy of our indigenous cultures and the pride of our nation.”
She said that while the country was willing to allow videos that contribute to the “knowledge and dissemination of Mexico’s archaeological and cultural heritage,” she draws the line at those who “take advantage of the willingness of institutions”.
Curiel de Icaza added that INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History will consider “administrative sanctions” against Donaldson’s production team.
MrBeast Responds to Backlash
A spokesperson for MrBeast told the BBC that “no advertisement material was shot on any archaeological sites overseen by INAH.”
The spokesperson then went on to say that the video was “meant to highlight these treasured Mayan sites in Mexico,” and that it was “unfortunate that this has turned into a political issue.”
“Hopefully, it can lead to a productive dialogue and encourages people to visit these unique historical treasures,” they added.
Meanwhile, in an X post, MrBeast himself also responded to the controversy, writing: “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: “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.’
Donaldson added that while they did mention Feastables as a “joke,” it was filmed away from the national monuments.
He went on to claim that his team was funding wells and water projects behind the scenes, along with working on a fund to “support Mexican archeology.”
“I hope to go back someday and continue to share how awesome the culture is with the world,” he concluded. “Sad to see this get distorted.”
