Sometimes i think that revealing ruins that cannot be protected until uncovered and placed in museums or otherwise protected is just inviting thieves to steal and sell archaeological items on the black market.
I wonder why the archaeologists don’t consider this when these news items are released.
If the Mexican gubmint wants them protected, they’d get protected. Or, they want it done, but want someone else to pay for it.
My view is, professional excavation, likely by foreign archaeologists, but a split of the artifacts, under gubmint oversight.
It would mean that looters wouldn’t be cracking intact inscribed stela into incoherent pieces and selling them to private collectors because they can get more from multiple pieces than they can selling them intact. Plus, they can’t move things that big or smuggle them out.