A video posted on social media showed a couple of tourists climbing up and down the Chichén Itzá pyramid, which is strictly prohibited.
TikTok user @ericka_lupita, who shared the 14-second footage, reported that the incident took place on Sunday, January 5, 2025.
In the video, two young men, presumably foreigners, are seen descending the construction that is thousands of years old, even though the site has protection to prevent people from climbing up. Meanwhile, whistles and complaints from other visitors are heard.
The user also reported that when the tourists came down, security personnel stopped them, along with another person who was with them, and closely recorded their actions.
The Federal Law on Archaeological, Artistic, and Historical Monuments and Zones, in Chapter VI, establishes penalties and sanctions against those who damage or exploit immovable archaeological monuments, without authorization from the INAH.
Article 55 states the following:
“Any violation of this Law or its Regulations, which is not provided for in this chapter, will be sanctioned by the competent Institutes, with a fine of one hundred to one hundred and fifty thousand pesos according to the terms of the Regulations of this Law.”
Within the law, the following measure is also established for damaging the archaeological heritage in Article 52. “Anyone who by any means damages, alters or destroys an archaeological, artistic or historical monument, will be sentenced to imprisonment of three to ten years and a fine of up to the value of the damage caused.”
Thus, climbing the Kukulkan Castle could be punished with a fine of between 50,000 and 100,000 pesos (USD 2,426 – USD 4,853). Depending on the damage caused to the structure.
With information from Diario de Yucatan
TYT Newsroom
