On Sunday, popular YouTuber MrBeast, whose real name is James Donaldson, denied allegations that he was being sued by the Mexican government over a controversial video filmed at archaeological sites in Mexico. "We are not and have never been sued by them," Donaldson stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter), according to Sopitas. He assured that his team had all the necessary permits and complied with regulations.
Donaldson's response came amid reports that Mexican authorities, through the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), had filed legal actions against his production company for allegedly using the image of archaeological sites to promote his chocolate brand, Feastables, without authorization. "The permit granted did not authorize the publication of false information nor the use of the image of the archaeological sites for the advertising of commercial brands for private profit," the INAH stated in an administrative complaint against Full Circle Media, according to El Financiero.
In the video titled "I Explored 2,000-Year-Old Temples," released on May 10 and now with over 68 million views, Donaldson explores historic Maya cities such as Calakmul, Chichén Itzá, and Balamcanché in southeastern Mexico. The video promotes Feastables, announcing it as "the only snack on the planet approved by the Mayans," and features logos of Walmart, Target, and 7-Eleven stores.
"My team and I have great respect for the culture and people of Mexico and the Mayans," Donaldson said, according to Excélsior. "We made this video so that people around the world would be excited to learn more about their culture, just as we did with our video of the Pyramids."
He clarified that the authorities were aware of the promotion of Feastables and that it was recorded outside of any national monument. "They knew we would mention Feastables in the video, but out of respect, that part was filmed outside of any archaeological zone," he stated, according to El Financiero.
"Hahaha, we have never been sued. That's false, and it saddens me to see people spreading lies," Donaldson said, as reported by Sopitas. He also mentioned his intention to return to Mexico, stating, "I hope to come back someday and continue sharing how wonderful the culture is with the world; it's sad to see this distorted," according to Proceso.
Additionally, Donaldson announced that he was working with the INAH on a fund to support Mexican archaeology as a way to thank them for the filming permits. "We weren't planning to share this, but due to the false headlines, I feel obliged. Behind the scenes, we financed wells and water projects in the state," he stated, as reported by Excélsior.
During his visit, Donaldson met with the Governor of Campeche, Layda Sansores, who publicly supported the project and defended him, stating that he "did not charge" and provided "global reach and visibility," according to El Financiero. In a message on social media, Sansores highlighted that Donaldson "helped build a well for a community that lacked drinking water," gave "visibility to the state before the world," and "boosts archaeological explorations." She said, "I don't want you to take a bad image of Mexico and less of Campeche. The day you return, I would like to show you all the beauty of our state; you have to come again with Thea, who is a true charm."
Donaldson thanked the governor for her support, replying, "Thank you, I had a great time showing the Mayan culture, and I appreciate you helping me clarify everything. Really, this post means a lot," as noted by Proceso. He also highlighted her defense, stating that his work "represents enormous publicity for the state, with more than 56 million views in just 4 days," according to El Financiero.
The INAH clarified that Donaldson's visits to the states of Campeche and Yucatán were carried out in accordance with official provisions and formal requests. However, they stated that he and his team failed to comply with the provision prohibiting the publication of false information and the use of the image of archaeological sites for advertising commercial brands for private profit, according to El Financiero.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
