The video was controversial because it was scouring the no-shooting area.
The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), established in 1939 to study, preserve, and protect various Mexican sites and heritage sites, said on the 14th that it was looking at filming permits and video posting requirements related to Mr. Beast YouTube content.
This is a follow-up measure related to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s instructions.
Asked by reporters about the government’s policy on Mr. Beast videos at a regular press conference, President Sheinbaum replied, “I am well aware of the controversy, and I have asked (the agency in charge) to report on what the conditions for permission to shoot are.”
On the 10th, Mr. Beast posted a 15-minute, 45-second video titled “Exploring an Ancient Temple with 2000 Years of History” on his YouTube channel. It seems to be a 100-hour tour of Campeche and Yucatan Mayan civilization sites, including Chichen Itza and Calakmul.
However, Mr. Beast described the scene as “a place that has not been disclosed to the outside,” taking a look inside the ruins, or landing on a pyramid in a helicopter. He was also seen staying inside a protected area and touching ancient relics that are likely to be seen at a museum. Some of the scenes are made into video with drones inside the top of the Chichen Itza El Castillo pyramid.
There was a strong criticism of the authorities, saying, “This is an activity that promotes illegality because it is not allowed to ordinary tourists at all.”
In response, INAH issued an unusual clarification and said, “Mr. Beast filmed within the scope of permission, and our staff guarded the site throughout, overseeing compliance with safety and management measures to protect cultural heritage.”
However, he stressed that some of the controversial scenes were not actually filmed, but were processed through editing.
“We did not approach the pyramid by helicopter, and if we applied in advance, we only visited the site that was reviewed and released,” INAH said. “We have not stayed in the protected area, and we exaggerated the replica as if it were real.” Some analyzed that the controversial scenes seemed to have been processed by computer graphics (CG).
The video has more than 56 million views on the day, four days after its release.
Mr. Beast has 394 million subscribers.
SAM KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
