‘You mean he tricked us?’: Fans react as Mexican heritage officials dispute MrBeast’s newest video about Mayan Temple history

MrBeast has recently found himself in a spot of bother after he was accused of going overboard in his portrayal of the ancient Maya temples of Mexico in his latest YouTube video. The given video is I Explored 2000 Year Old Ancient Temples, which depicts MrBeast and his team going through various famous Mayan archaeological sites of Mexico, such as Chichén Itzá, Calakmul, and Balankanché.

His depiction of the ancient temples has caused a public furore in Mexico, and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) has now come forward to issue a statement denouncing MrBeast and his team for the inaccuracies reported. While acknowledging the promotional value of such content, INAH went to great lengths to point out the slip-ups seen in the video:

"Mr. Donaldson and his production team were never authorized to spend the night at the site, nor were they allowed to enter the inner sanctum of the Temple of Kukulcán. In the case of Chichén Itzá, we clarify that there was no drone flight inside El Castillo, as falsely mentioned in the video; this flight was carried out outside the structure."

The statement then goes on to add:

“It should be noted that, evidently, the video has extensive audiovisual post-production work and alludes to events that did not occur, such as the fact that the producers never descended from a helicopter, nor spent the night inside the archaeological zone nor did they have in their possession any pre-Hispanic mask, since the one they present is clearly a contemporary reproduction. All of them are false assertions that obey the theatricality of the YouTuber in question."

While the YouTube video was a hit amongst the masses, the recent developments have dented MrBeast's appeal amongst the viewers. The video ignited fierce debate on social media platforms as well, with many fans criticising the lack of respect shown by MrBeast, while others poked fun at the theatricality on display in the video.

One fan commented:

"You mean he tricked us?"

Another fan joked:

"75% of his videos are CGI. I wouldn’t be surprised if the “temple” he explored was located in a warehouse in Pasadena."

Another fan remarked:

"Nah bro really speedran international diplomacy."

Yet another fan quipped:

"History class just got a whole lot more dramatic, thanks to MrBeast."

Another fan wrote:

"You mean a guy who creates entertainment for a living was a little loose on the facts?"

Another fan added:

"MrBeast’s content always sparks massive attention, but when it comes to heritage sites like Chichén Itzá, accuracy and respect are key. Hopefully both sides can clear things up—education and entertainment should go hand in hand."

While INAH acknowledged MrBeast's appeal amongst the masses and opted for a softer stance, others have taken a much firmer stance. The YouTuber's video on ancient Maya temples has drawn sharp responses from the Mexican public and heritage officials. Amid the ruckus, President Claudia Sheinbaum has also felt the need to chime in, whereas the Mexican Ministry of Culture has already announced that they're pursuing sanctions on the YouTuber.

It remains to be seen if both parties will be able to reach a common ground in the coming days. In the meantime, MrBeast has announced the renewal of Beast Games for Season 2 as well as Season 3.

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