MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mexico: Tourist climbs Chichen Itza Castle without permission and locals call for sacrifice

The tourist of unknown origin climbed to the top of the majestic building and started dancing, which further angered Mexican and foreign visitors enjoying the day off.

An angry mob almost lynched a tourist who climbed without permission the steps of the Castillo de Kukulcán, one of the new seven wonders of the modern world located in the archaeological zone of Chichén Itzá, in southeastern Mexico.

With shouts and cries of “jail, jail, jail”, “lock her up” and “sacrifice, sacrifice”, the crowd, gathered in the esplanade of Chichén Itzá, expressed their anger “because this woman does not respect the rules”.

A disrespectful tourist climbs an ancient Mayan pyramid in Mexico and gets booed pic.twitter.com/ZMAnwf0Euo

— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) November 21, 2022

The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) has prohibited climbing the sacred Mayan building since 2008, installing a security cordon around it and announced fines ranging from 50,000 (about 2,558 US dollars) to 100,000 Mexican pesos (about 5,115 US dollars), depending on the damage caused to the structure.

The tourist of unknown origin climbed to the top of the majestic building and started dancing, which further angered Mexican and foreign visitors enjoying the day off.

INAH authorities have yet to report the incident, and the crowd continues to demand jail and expulsion from Yucatán “and if she is from abroad, she should leave Mexico,” shouted those present.

In previous incidents, INAH reported that they would be punished according to the Federal Law on Archaeological, Artistic and Historic Monuments and Zones which, in Chapter VI, establishes penalties and sanctions against those who damage or exploit archaeological monuments without authorization from the Institute.