Users of social media in Yucatán have created a Facebook group with the goal of organizing and destroying the Poseidon statue. This decision came after the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Hurricane Beryl has reached Category 5 status.
Beryl is expected to make landfall twice in Mexico: first in Yucatán and then in Tamaulipas. The National Water Commission (Conagua) confirmed this impact sequence.
The arrival of Beryl has drawn significant attention on social media, particularly due to the installation of a Poseidon statue in Puerto Progreso, Yucatán, at the end of May. The statue was erected in response to the intense heatwaves and droughts faced by the country.
While some considered it a good idea, other local residents believed that this act angered Chaac, a revered deity in Maya mythology known as the god of rain, lightning, and thunder.
Accusations were made that Chaac’s anger is the reason behind Hurricane Beryl’s approach to Mexico. Earlier, an internet user on TikTok even blamed the Poseidon statue for recent heavy rains, attributing them to Chaac’s displeasure.
What was the objective behind destroying the Poseidon statue?
According to a screenshot from the Facebook group titled ‘Ir a destruir la estatua de Poseidón’ (Let’s destroy the Poseidon statue), the goal was to express discontent with the statue’s presence and symbolically offer its remains to Chaac in an attempt to appease his fury.
“After it went viral on various social media platforms, the event was canceled, but before that, it managed to bring together over 35,000 Facebook users, apparently from Yucatán.
“Message to the community: Thank you very much for your support; it was truly amusing to see that so many people took it as a good joke. We managed to reach 35,000 people within hours, which I didn’t expect, and even made it onto three local news broadcasts. However, I’ve received many hateful comments and threats, and I don’t want things to get out of control. I appreciate all of you who had fun,” reads the new description of the canceled group.”
Source: Milenio
