Tourist Dancing at the Pyramid, One of the Seven Wonders of the World

Disturbance at Ancient Maya Pyramid 'El Castillo'
Mocked as 'Lady Chichen Itza'... Released After 350,000 Won Fine

Abigail Villalobos from Mexico was arrested by the police for dancing on the Kukulkan Pyramid, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bora Lee] A woman who climbed the ancient Mayan pyramid at Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Seven Wonders site in Mexico, and danced was arrested by the police.

On the 22nd (local time), the New York Post, Fox News, and others in the United States reported that the behavior of Abigail Villalobos (29), a female tourist who visited Chichen Itza on the 20th, provoked anger not only among other tourists but also among Mexican citizens. According to the reports, Villalobos ignored the authorities' regulations, climbed the pyramid, and danced, and this act was captured on social media (SNS).

The pyramid that Villalobos climbed without permission is also famous by the nickname "El Castillo" (which means "castle" in Spanish). It was selected as one of the UNESCO World Seven Wonders in 2007, and Mexican authorities have prohibited visitors from accessing the pyramid since 2008 to preserve it.

However, Villalobos shook her body and danced on top of the pyramid, and the tourists watching her jeered. When Villalobos came down from the pyramid, some tourists surrounded her and even sprayed water on her in aggressive behavior.

Villalobos's video has recorded over 4.6 million views on TikTok alone. She has also earned the nickname "Lady Chichen Itza" and is being mocked by netizens worldwide. According to the authorities, there was no damage to the pyramid.

The media explained, "If you access this historic site without permission, you can be fined between $2,500 and $5,000 (approximately 3.38 million to 6.76 million KRW) under federal laws concerning monuments, archaeology, art, and historic areas, depending on the damage caused," adding, "In this case, since the pyramid was not damaged, it appears a light fine was imposed."

After being arrested, Villalobos tried to pretend she was Spanish, but it was soon confirmed that she was from Mexico. She was detained at the police station for 30 minutes and was released after being fined about $260 (approximately 350,000 KRW).