Why Oil Still Controls Wars, Politics, and Global Power - Mike Mauceli, Fernando Gonzalez

28 Jan 2026 · 35 min · 17 chapters

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Rich Dad Radio Show Episode Summary

Episode Title

Why Oil Still Controls Wars, Politics, and Global Power - Mike Mauceli, Fernando Gonzalez

Podcast Description

Join Robert Kiyosaki for a deep dive into the impact of oil and energy on global power dynamics. This episode features guests Michael Mauceli and Fernando Gonzalez, who discuss how energy shapes geopolitics and economic stability.

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Key Topics Discussed

Introduction to Energy's Role

  • Energy is described as the foundation of modern civilization.
  • Oil influences global power structures, wars, and political decisions.

The Importance of Oil and Energy Scarcity

  • Oil scarcity affects inflation, national security, and supply chains.
  • Historical context of U.S. involvement in foreign oil-rich nations, including Venezuela.

Venezuela's Oil Reserves

  • Venezuela holds 280-300 billion barrels of oil, the largest reserves in the world.
  • Discussion on the political climate in Venezuela and its impact on oil production.

South American Perspectives

  • Fernando Gonzalez provides a Latin American viewpoint on U.S. actions in Venezuela.
  • The economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela was exacerbated by dictatorial rule, leading to mass migration.

The Ripple Effect of Energy Scarcity

  • How rising energy demands due to AI and infrastructure changes are reshaping the global landscape.
  • The conversation points out opportunities within the mining sector in Peru and the broader South American context.

Hard Assets as Investment

  • Emphasis on investing in hard assets (oil, gold, silver) amidst economic uncertainty.
  • The hosts argue against traditional financial instruments like stocks and bonds.

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Key Takeaways

  • Oil's Irreplaceability: The discussion highlights that oil is essential, with over 6,000 products derived from it, making it unlikely to find a full replacement.
  • Energy's Influence on Markets: The conversation explores how energy demand drives market values and investment strategies, especially concerning AI's growing energy consumption.
  • Importance of Hard Assets: Kiyosaki and guests advocate for investing in tangible assets like oil and precious metals rather than relying solely on traditional financial markets.

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Notable Quotes

  • "Civilization runs on energy, oil."
  • "If you're into hard assets, or assets like oil that are burning up and silver that's burning up, you'll always be okay."

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Final Thoughts

The episode wraps up by stressing the necessity of understanding energy's role in shaping global politics and economic stability. The guests encourage listeners to invest in hard assets, especially oil and precious metals, as a hedge against economic uncertainties.

Upcoming Events Mentioned

  • Vancouver Resource Investment Conference - January 25-26
  • Aspire Tour in Charlotte, North Carolina - February 3

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Disclaimer

  • The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes and should not be considered financial advice.

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This markdown summary serves as a concise guide to the podcast episode, capturing essential discussions and insights into the significance of oil and energy in global dynamics.

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

Tap a time to open that second in VO

Discussion on Trump and Global Politics

0:46 to 3:04

Robert discusses Trump's political actions and perceptions, introducing guests.

“Hello, Robert Kiyosaki, the Rich Dad Radio Show, broadcasting from Arizona, Phoenix, where it's either heaven or hell.”

Oil Reserves in Venezuela

3:04 to 7:13

Michael discusses the oil reserves in Venezuela and strategic interests.

“So Michael, as an oil man, how much oil is in Venezuela?”

Latin Perspective on Venezuela's Situation

7:13 to 10:20

Fernando shares the Latin American view on Trump's actions in Venezuela.

“They had for 28 years a dictator in place.”

Historical Context of Oil and War

10:20 to 12:00

Exploration of the historical connection between oil and military actions.

“It was very precise in the military basis.”

Future of Oil Production in Venezuela

12:00 to 13:14

Discussion on the opportunities for increased oil production in Venezuela.

“So it's always about the oil, right, Mike?”

Trump's Global Oil Strategy

14:01 to 14:51

Discussion on Trump's approach to oil-producing nations and its implications.

“And look, we're talking about here, Trump derangement syndrome, two books with a boy.”

The Role of Oil in Global Power Dynamics

18:21 to 19:47

Exploration of how oil influences politics and military actions.

“he and I flew together off of Vietnam, as we were talking about.”

Business Opportunities in South America

19:50 to 21:35

Discussion on the potential for investment and business in Venezuela and Argentina.

“So we were very, very pleased with South America doing business there and, you know, I'd like to get back again.”

Migration and Happiness in Venezuela

21:36 to 22:59

Debate on the happiness of Venezuelans post-dictatorship and migration issues.

“We have to take into consideration that 8 million of people migrate from Venezuela because of that dictatorship.”

Investing in Natural Resources

23:00 to 24:12

Robert's investment philosophy focusing on tangible resources like oil and silver.

“I was, you know, I'm going to a commercial message here.”
Show all 17 chapters

The Future of Energy: Oil vs. Alternatives

24:16 to 27:46

Discussion on the sustainability and future of oil in relation to alternative energies.

“and possibly in 2007, it'll be$200 an ounce.”

Mining Opportunities in Peru

27:47 to 28:03

Fernando discusses Peru's mining potential and its impact on South America.

“So when you look at the country of Peru, You guys have lots of silver too.”

Opportunities in South America

28:03 to 28:51

Exploration of potential economic opportunities in South America, particularly in Venezuela and Peru.

“Also, when you were talking, Robert, about Venezuela and what is happening, there is a lot of opportunities coming, not only for the oil industry, because they don't have expressways.”

Understanding the Shining Path

28:52 to 29:55

Discussion about the Shining Path terrorist organization and its impact on Peru's economy.

“So would you take a moment, Fernando, to explain to the world, because most Americans never heard of him.”

Investing in Hard Assets

29:56 to 30:51

Insights on investing in hard assets like gold, silver, and cattle versus traditional bonds.

“Mike, I was out there looking for gold in Peru and they put satchel charges onto these power lines.”

The Future of Energy

30:52 to 32:18

Predictions about energy demands and the importance of oil in the future economy under current leadership.

“So I'd rather invest in hard asses like cattle and oil and food.”

Opportunities and Risks of Hard Assets

32:19 to 33:56

Evaluating the good and bad news regarding investments in hard assets amidst economic challenges.

“I'll repeat that old joke, Golda Meyers.”
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Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:00This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the Name Your Price tool from Progressive, you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try it at Progressive.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states. Whether you're into unsolved mysteries, solved mysteries, or creating your own mysteries, Amazon Music's got millions of podcast episodes waiting. Just download the Amazon Music app and start listening to your favorite podcasts ad-free.

0:37Included with Prime. This is the Rich Dad Radio Show. The good news and bad news about money. Here's Robert Kiyosaki. Hello, Robert Kiyosaki, the Rich Dad Radio Show, broadcasting from Arizona, Phoenix, where it's either heaven or hell. And right now, it's heaven. It's as perfect as it can get. So we have a kind of interesting show because I have a friend. I flew with him in Vietnam together off of a carrier, and he's now a congressman in Washington, D.C. and he says Congress is going nuts with the Trump derangement syndrome. You know, they said, what is that guy up to? And so he's going to annex Greenland and then Canada.

1:29He's pissing everybody off. He's going to take Greenland from Denmark or something like this. And he calls it the Gulf of America now. And he said, Congress is going nuts. Trump derangement syndrome. So I thought we'd add to the mess here. We have two rich debt advisors. One is Michael Maselli. He's an oil man. So for full disclosure, I invest with Michael for oil because there's so many tax advantages to oil and stuff like this. And it's always used. It's like silver, not like gold. and this is my friend Fernando he is from Peru and I've been to Peru to climb to the mountaintop looking for gold, auto and it was very interesting being in Peru Fernando, you know, because Shining Path was there and Shining Path was a communist organization, now he's mayor of New York City, so anyway you know what a country we live in but I remember standing on the mountaintop from Peru, the Andes, you know, there's little holes being drilled.

2:38What the heck's that? And I'm at 17 ,000 feet. I couldn't even breathe. And so years and years and years ago, the indigenous people of Peru were drilling for gold. So thousands of years ago, they knew gold was worth something. And I was going there to buy a gold mine, and they didn't buy one. But Fernando's going to give the, so-called the Latin point of view on Trump derangement syndrome because he's from Peru and he's Trump's bombing Venezuela and whacking all those gunboats and and Mike Mosselli is an oil man and you know he's going to take that oil but I also suspect and Michael's going to verify this or not that oil was supposed to go to China from Venezuela so Trump was a knockoff that's my opinion I don't know if I'm a proof of that but it's Trump derangement time syndrome, I've written two books with a man here he's a good friend of mine Why He Want Me to Be Rich and The Midas Touch I think he's entertaining if nothing else he's more entertaining than when he was on The Apprentice you're fired take over Greenland give me a break and he's bombing Venezuela and is now going into its, where is he?

4:03Anyway, that guy is all over the place. So Michael, as an oil man, how much oil is in Venezuela? Well, Robert, thanks for having me on the show today. And I think there's about 280 billion barrels to 300 billion barrels, which is probably the number one oil reserves in the world. I think out of the 14 fields that Venezuela has, about 11 of them still has over 50 to 60 percent of their remaining reserves. And so there's a lot of oil there to be produced as far as on that. It is a heavier crude. But the good thing about it is most of our refineries were set up originally to handle heavy crude. because here in the United States, most of our oil is a very light crude.

4:58So they take that crude and they blend it with the heavy crude, which extends our reserves. So, you know, you can certainly see why Trump wanted to go after Venezuela, obviously going after the oil and, you know, what better deal for Trump than try to control the most oil reserves in the world, right? So, Michael, are you in line to take over to start drilling in Venezuela? Well, I have drilled in Argentina, you know, and I had a concession in Argentina, which we sold to Shell Oil back in the early 2000s. So I love doing business in South America. I have looked at some deals in Venezuela a long time ago.

5:39And so, yeah, I mean, it's, you know, there's a lot of opportunities there. So it just depends on, you know, what's going to happen with the government and what kind of assurities you're going to get. And how much truth do you think it is that Trump wants to cut the oil from China off, Venezuela to China? Is that possible or is that this rumor? Well, I think that's one of the main reasons why Trump wanted the oil in Venezuela. I mean, he did something very similar with the canal in Central America. And so he is trying to push China out of our continent. And I think he has an ulterior motive about getting Cuba back as well.

6:26So, you know, Cuba.

6:32I think he's trying to control both sides of the continent there. Yeah. It's like I said, we shouldn't be laughing, but there's something entertaining about it. That guy. Trump derangement syndrome. Mr. Fernando, hola, and you're from Peru. And I brought you, I'll be seeing you at Mar-a-Lago in a few weeks at Trump's place there. And so what do you think the South American or the Latin point of view is on Trump whacking Venezuela? Thank you, Robert, for having us. I think that is amazing because the number one thing is that Venezuela is recovering their freedom. They had for 28 years a dictator in place.

7:23The average salary in Venezuela is$4 per month. However, Switzerland government just found 113 tons of gold in Maduro's personal bank account. We are talking about$5 billion. dollars. And the people from Venezuela was eating from the garbage with four dollars a month. And this guy was stealing the gold, the silver, the minerals, and sending it to China, to Russia. They have also Hezbollah, which is an enemy with USA, inside their territory. So we believe he's going to bring a lot of stability in the region. It's going to be amazing. We are celebrating this, and we see Mr. President Donald Trump as a true hero, recovering the freedom for the Venezuela people.

8:27So you guys are happy he's getting rid of the dictators, right? Maduro was one, and who was the dictator before him? Before him was Chavez for 20 years, almost 20 years. And between Chavez and Maduro, 28 years sacking the money from the country, talking about socialism, communism. And this is going to have also, Robert, the ripple effect because next is Cuba, then Nicaragua. Many great things happening at the same time. The Trump derangement syndrome, man, he's... And I just think it's a Denmark that claims they own Greenland, and they're all up in arms with him. And like I said, my friend Jack Bergman, Fernanda, who will be in Mar-a-Lago with us the next two weeks from now, congressman, he says, Congress is going nuts.

9:25They hate the guy. You know, he's become almost a dictator, but I think he's a stand-up comedian personally. It's so funny. I just thought it was impressive too. Like Fernando is a graduate of the Peruvian Naval Academy, and that strike they put into Venezuela was precision. You know, I was watching the actions. It was all the elite of the elite went in. There was like a surgical removal of Maduro, right? he's gone.

10:01Our military is so freaking strong. It's well-disciplined, the best of the best. It's like Navy SEALs going in and taking some guy out. So I thought that was pretty impressive. How do you think the Venezuela people feel? Are they happy that Maduro's gone? Well, initially they were scary because they see all the bombing happening around. But it was not in the city. It was very precise in the military basis. And then when they saw the Apache helicopters going to the city, they understood that it was an obstruction just to remove from the power to President Maduro. So everything started at 2 a.m.

10:48And it was a change of celebration in the whole Latin America because it was like a Happy New Year. Everybody drinking on the streets because Maduro was removing from power. Wow. Interesting. So let me ask you this. We have to take this into consideration. In the 1920s, a key player was Exxon. ExxonMobil invested$767 million in Venezuela. The money went into pipelines, refineries, and infrastructure. And then when Chavez took the power, he kicked off all the American companies and steal all the oil. So this is a kind of payback. Yeah. And by the way, you know, what's war about is about oil. Because I went to tour tours in Vietnam.

11:47and they don't ever say this, but Occidental Petroleum was in there, Armand Hammer's company. And Vietnam was loaded with oil. So they want to make sure China didn't get it. So that's kind of one of the causes of Vietnam out there. So it's always about the oil, right, Mike? That's correct. And in fact, you know, when Chavez took over, I think he kicked Conoco out and then Conoco sued, you know, the Venezuelan government and ended up with the Venezuelan government still owns Conoco over$8 billion. And that was one of the things they were talking about. So, you know, the Americans, you know, they've spent a lot of money in what we here in the United States and in South America, especially in Venezuela.

12:38And so I think we can ramp up production there pretty fast from what the president of Chevron was saying. They've been on the ground there. They're the only company that's been able to continue to operate there. But they're saying that they can increase production by about 50 % within the next couple of years. So there's a great opportunity in Venezuela and other parts of South America that I think this is just going to have a ripple effect. And Fernando can probably talk more about that than I can. But as far as for the oil business and the U.S. and South America. And also, Mike, last week, this administration decided to invest in the Peruvian Navy$1 billion in the warships, modernizing the Navy base.

13:29So it's going to be amazing. It's not only Venezuela, it's also Peru, different countries where President Trump is recovering the Americas. Because we don't understand why Russia, Iran, Chinese people were inside Venezuela. This is South America. So President Trump make a strategic decision to get back to South America is part of the Americas leading that. Yep. And look, we're talking about here, Trump derangement syndrome, two books with a boy. I think it's entertainment, but depends on your point of view out there. There's one more thing we haven't mentioned so far is he's crushing Iran right now.

14:17And Iran is loaded with oil too, right, Mike? That's correct. I mean, I think they're the number three producer. So, headed to Trump, he's going to go after the number one producer and the number three producer. Plus Greenland and Canada. Yeah, plus Greenland. So, we come back. I don't know if we should be laughing or not, but what a character we have for a president. You know, I mean, he may not go down as the greatest president, but he'll go around the most entertaining. So, we come back with a final words summary about what we can do. How he profit from all this and what does it mean to have President Trump out there whacking Venezuela, Iran, and wherever else?

15:03Is he going to take Cuba and then Greenland? What else are they going to do? He's just playing a monopoly on a world scale. We'll be right back.

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17:32Welcome back, Robert Kinsley for the Radio Show. Our guest today, our Richard Advisors, Michael Maselli. For full disclosure, I invest with Michael. We make a lot of money together investing in oil in the United States. And Mike is a hardcore oil man. And Fernando Gonzalez is a graduate of Peruvian Naval Academy. And when he and I are meeting on February 12th in Mar-a-Lago, Trump's place, I'm being inducted as a head veteran or something. I thought my friends were all kidding me. they're going to induct me as a lead veteran in America. I'm going, Jesus, me? This is our friend here. I've been to Mar-a-Lago many times.

18:11It's worth seeing. And like I said, my other friend, we're being together because of the veterans. And Jack Bergman, he's now Congressman Jack Bergman, he and I flew together off of Vietnam, as we were talking about. The rumor was, the reason we're in Vietnam was because Armand Hammer, who was oxydant on petroleum, said there was oil in Vietnam. They'll make sure China didn't get it. So it's possible, I'm not saying it's true, that Trump doesn't want China to get Venezuela's oil. And it's also possible he's whacking Iran right now because Iran's a big oil producer. But one of the funniest things I heard years and years ago, because I'm an oil man also, I used to work for Standard Oil, driving oil tankers up and down the coast, across the Pacific.

19:03And they talked about how Golda Meir, who was the prime minister of Israel, she says, that damn Moses, he led us into the desert. You know, 40 years and 40 nights or whatever, Moses led him into the desert and beat the Jews up and all this stuff. And he takes out the only piece of land in that desert with no oil. So she's pissed at Moses that's taking a claim in oil also out there. Oil is the lifeblood of the economy. Without oil, there's no civilization. And I think so we can laugh about all this stuff, but there seems to be a method to Trump's madness here. So Moses led people to the promised land, but there's no oil in it.

19:52anyway so michael um would you stand in line to go into venezuela or not yeah i mean i've like i said i've done business in south america before so you know venezuela of course there has to be a lot of changes there but they had some great opportunities uh throughout colombia as well and you know different areas so So when we, of course, were in Argentina, the country was going through not a similar situation, I mean, through socialism and stuff. But the people were great. They enjoyed us being there. We made a lot of money there. So we were very, very pleased with South America doing business there and, you know, I'd like to get back again.

20:40So you were drilling in Argentina? Yeah, we had a 2 million acre concession up in the northwestern basin of Argentina, and we drilled the fourth deepest discovery in the country there, made a huge discovery of natural gas well. And Shell had a pipeline in Bolivia. We were right on the Argentine-Bolivian border. And so they needed the gas for their pipeline. So they bought us out. And that was our exit strategy. And, of course, shortly after that, the peso collapsed. It wasn't that we were smart. We were just lucky and got out. And like I said, we made some really nice money there. I was in Argentina also.

21:24It's an interesting place. Yeah, it really is. So, Fernando, it's interesting you say that Venezuelans are happy, but the dictators are gone. So you had Chavez and now Maduro. Yes, Robert. We have to take into consideration that 8 million of people migrate from Venezuela because of that dictatorship. 8 million. It's the biggest migration in the modern history. I remember that because I was talking to this guy. He says the most beautiful women come from Venezuela. And it was really a bonus because they all came to America.

22:11I don't know if that's true or not, but it was always a slow clock. So I think it's an interesting point of view that they're happy that the dictators are gone. And that's an interesting point of view. You can ask the Venezuelans over that question if they are happy. I will say 95 % of the people are happier. The only ones that are not happier were the people stealing the money from the rest of the people, stealing the gold, stealing the silver, keeping the people in poverty. They are not happy because they are losing everything. And now they are going to be in jail with their boyfriend in jail.

22:53It's a different game. The game is changing very fast. So we are so excited because of that. And I was in Argentina. I was, you know, I'm going to a commercial message here. I'll be at the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference in Vancouver, January 25th to 26th. Boys come right around the corner. and the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference is for people like me. I was a silver miner and we struck silver in Argentina and we thought we had struck it rich and all this stuff. Then a company called Yamana bought us out so I was out of Argentina. But the point I'm making here as an investor, you don't find me investing in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs.

23:41I invest in resources. I like oil because oil is the lifeblood of a civilization. That's what you got to have. So that's why I invest for full disclosure with Mike of REI Energy. And gold and silver are money. And as you may say, silver could be the biggest investment of all today because it's catching up to gold in price. And when silver breaks 100, my prediction is I could be wrong. it's going to go to$200 right away. So I remember in 1990, you could buy silver for$5 an ounce and possibly in 2007, it'll be$200 an ounce. So I invest in resources because I like something I can see, touch, and feel.

24:28I invest in real estate, I can see, touch, and feel. And I was investing in cattle, I can see, touch, and feel it. You can keep your Warren Buffett paper and bonds and all that stuff. I just don't trust paper. I like hardcore resources. So, Michael, is there any possibility they'll find a replacement for oil? Well, I don't think they'll find a replacement for oil because over 6 ,000 products are made out of oil. It's just, you know, when most people think about oil, they think about gasoline or something like that. But as far as lubricants, you know, jet fuel, different types of fuels, You know, so I don't think there'll ever be a full replacement of it.

25:10I think that nuclear obviously going down the road will take up a lot of the electricity, you know, as far as on that. But as far as petroleum products and, of course, natural gas is still the cleanest burning fuel that we have out there. And we've got a tremendous amount of natural gas here in the U.S. And that a lot of times, you know, they don't even have the pipelines to move it. So we've got to add that infrastructure in order to bring in more pipelines. But we're really blessed here in this country with as much oil as we do have. Yeah. Again, I'll be at the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference talking about investing in metals and all this.

25:51But there's one thing important about oil and natural gas, AI. Artificial intelligence sucks a lot of energy. So I was talking to Michael about wherever they put up an AI power plant or a facility, they've got to have a lot of natural gas or oil or coal or something. Is that correct, Michael? Yeah, that's why you see a lot of these new power plants. I mean, these AI power plants, I mean, not power plants, but the AI plants being built in West Texas, where they have an easy access to a lot of natural gas and oil in order to generate that power. And I think Trump's come out and said that, you know, they're not going to put more money into the grid.

26:36So these these AI factories are going to have to supply their own power. So that's why you see a lot of them looking for places where, you know, natural gas is abundance in order to generate that electricity. The other thing that happened is that Germany, a couple of European countries, the Greenies took over. and they wanted to get away from oil and natural gas and all this. And they couldn't do it, and it sent the cost of production up. So because their cost of energy is so high and so inefficient that they can't produce Volkswagens and Mercedes and all this stuff. So I'll say it again. Civilization runs on energy, oil.

27:21And all these greenies who want to get rid of it, well, maybe in the future. or they want to go nuclear. The only trouble with nuclear is nuclear waste. The half-life is 10 ,000 years. It means what we're burning today in nuclear is going to be here for 10 ,000 years. It's still toxic. So all these guys are saying that nuclear is the clean energy. They don't know what they're talking about. So Fernando, Fernando. So when you look at the country of Peru, You guys have lots of silver too. Gold and silver. Yes, Robert. Yes, we are a mining country. And there's a lot of opportunities. Also, when you were talking, Robert, about Venezuela and what is happening, there is a lot of opportunities coming, not only for the oil industry, because they don't have expressways.

28:18They don't have a lot of things that they need to rebuild the city. So it's going to be a lot of opportunities in South America. Peru is the number two producer of gold, actually. A lot of silver, too, oil. But combining that strength from the whole South America united with USA under the president Trump leadership, I think is going to be amazing. And it's happening. Yeah. So would you take a moment, Fernando, to explain to the world, because most Americans never heard of him. Who was Shining Path? Well, they were terrorist people that were educated in China, and China, Russia, and Cuba. They have a goal to take the power through the arms with the military power that they have in their place.

29:20terrorizing people and putting the country in their knees. We didn't have any international business, any franchise, because of the terrorist people. The average salary in Peru was about$50,$75. The economy was completely down until President Fujimori took the power and started to fight back the terrorist people. but it was really a disaster in the history of Peru because it was for 12 years. Sanit Paz was a terrorist organization. 12 years and one. Sanit Paz was a terrorist organization. Yeah, it was terrifying. Mike, I was out there looking for gold in Peru and they put satchel charges onto these power lines.

30:11Oh, wow. and I was in Lima and the place was terrified because Shining Path was roaming the streets. So I've been all over the world. I went to Mongolia, a place called the Checkerboard, looking for gold out there. And it's interesting that resources, hard assets, gold, silver, oil, I still invest in that. And people say, well, bonds are safe. There's no such thing as safe. Japan and China right now are dumping the U.S. bond. Because a national debt is through the roof. So all these people say, oh, yeah, you know, like financial planners are saying, well, bonds are safe. They're lying to you. They're lying to you.

30:52You know, that's what bugs me. So I'd rather invest in hard asses like cattle and oil and food. And I have one friend who started with 10 chickens, and now he sells 1.8 million eggs a day. That's egg flow. You know what I mean? I said, I should invest in chickens also. The reason I bring all this up is because the S &P 500 is what most Americans have their 401ks in. And silver went up 140%. S &P didn't go up. So for those of you who are looking at making money, since 1965, I've been a hard assets guy. 1965, I held up a little silver dollar like this here. And it was no longer made of silver. It was made of copper.

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31:44And so ever since then, I became hard assets. I made fortunes in gold, silver, oil, chicken. Not no chickens yet, but cattle. So there's a lot of ways you can make money and all that. So it's a really interesting time. Well, the final word, Michael, on oil, because like I said, AI is going to need energy like crazy. So I was talking to you about that. Yeah, I mean, we're excited in our business. I mean, we've got a lot of opportunity here in the U.S., and it's going to be a really good time. And I think Trump has a reason behind what he's doing, and that is trying to control the major energy sources in the world.

32:25So I hope he does it. Well, Iran is going to shift over. Yeah. Iran has a lot of oil. I'll repeat that old joke, Golda Meyers. Moses took the only part of the desert that had no oil. So it's Israel. Fernando, final words on Trump and what you think of what's happening in the world. Thank you, Robert, for having us. I believe it's an amazing time for Venezuela to recover their freedom. also for having South America as a stronger continent with freedom. It's amazing what also the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, Maria Corina Machado, is working with President Trump to lead the country. I feel very optimistic about the transformation from South America and the opportunities coming in the near future.

33:28Yeah. So, our point is, as the Rich Dad Radio shows, that the good news and bad news about money, the good news is if you're into hard assets, or assets like oil that are burning up and silver that's burning up, you'll always be okay. But if you just drink the Kool-Aid and say, well, mutual funds and bonds and all that, you might not be okay. But the world runs on energy, gold, and silver, and chicken eggs. and you can make a fortune if you're into hard assets. So anyway, well, thank you all. Thank you guys. And we'll come back without finishing up this whole thing. But, you know, viva Peru. Viva Venezuela Libre.

34:13Yeah. And Michael, tell us about REI Energy and full disclosure. Yeah, so you can find us at www.reienergy.com. You know, we have a number of drilling opportunities that we do every year. We probably participate in, you know, we participate in well over a thousand wells in the Bakken to date. We participated in almost 200 wells in northeastern Oklahoma in the last couple of years. So we try to diversify our interest between natural gas and oil, leaning more towards natural gas right now because, as you said, Robert, all the AI facilities that are being built out there. So we're excited about the future.

34:54Yeah, there's always a way to make money and all that. So anyway, it's a great time to be alive. And I thank you, gentlemen. And Fernando, I'll see you at Mar-a-Lago on February 12th at Trump's Palace. Looking forward to it. We'll be right back.

35:16Robert's been warning investors for years. The traditional 60-40 portfolio just doesn't cut it anymore. And in today's market, those warnings are hitting hard. The top seven tech stocks now make up nearly 40 % of the S &P 500, and the index is now trading at over 40 times earnings. That's a valuation we haven't seen since the dot-com bubble. So don't wait to find out what can happen to the markets. Instead, find out what the wealthy are already doing differently. For one, they're shifting capital into real non-correlated assets. And one has quietly become a favorite among billionaires like Bezos and Gates.

35:53That's art. In fact, overall, post-war and contemporary art actually outpaced the S &P 500 over the last 30 years. And here's the good news. You don't need to be a billionaire to get in. Because with our longtime sponsor, Masterworks, you can invest in shares of multi-million dollar artworks featuring artists like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso. Also, Masterworks has already completed 26 successful sales with net annualized returns like 14.6%, 17.6%, and 17.8%. And just for you, Rich Dad listeners can skip their wait list. Here's how. Just go to masterworks.com slash richdad. That's masterworks.com slash richdad.

36:40As with any investment, past performance is not a guarantee of future returns and is not representative of artwork that has not yet sold. Thanks to HomeServe for sponsoring this episode. You protect your health, your car, even your phone. But what about your home? It's probably your biggest investment. And when things go wrong, the costs can hit hard and fast. That's where HomeServe comes in. And it's super simple. Choose a plan for your needs and budget. And when something on your plan goes wrong, just call their 24-7 hotline and start the repair process. They've helped homeowners like you for over 20 years with a trusted national network of over 2 ,600 local contractors.

37:23I use HomeServe and you should too. I can't help but remember when my water heater went out and the luxury of a hot shower in the middle of winter went out the window. I had the peace of mind knowing that HomeServe was there to save the day and my pocketbook. Because let's face it, we all know how costly emergency repairs can be. Help protect your home systems and your wallet with HomeServe against covered repairs. Plans start at just$4.99 a month. So go to HomeServe.com to find the right plan for you. That's HomeServe.com. Not available everywhere. Most plans range between$4.99 to$1 ,199 per month for your first year.

38:05Terms apply on covered repairs.

38:10Welcome back. Robert Kiyosaki. I want to thank Michael Maselli and Fernando Gonzalez. Again, this is January 2026. It's important because things are changing very fast. The investment that Mike Maselli is talking about, look at the Rich Dad board game here. They're fast-track investments. If you're in the rat race, you can't invest with Mike. But if you're accredited, you can invest out here. So his investments are not for everybody. For full disclosure, that's why I invest with him. I get huge tax breaks. I get my checks every month. I like it. And then I'll be in the VRIC, Vancouver Resource Investment Conference, January 26, 25th to 26th in Vancouver.

38:52I'll be speaking on oil and, I mean, gold and silver. I drilled a gold mine in China, and they nationalized it. So I don't kind of blame Trump for taking over China or knocking out their oil. and the Chinese have some huge atrocities to their names like they have organ harvesting where if you need a heart they kill the Uyghur or a political adversary they just kill them take the heart so the Chinese are fairly interesting people and let's hope we don't go to war with them I'll also be in Charlotte North Carolina February 3rd for the Aspire tour, Charlotte, North Carolina, February 3rd, Aspire, A-S-P-I-R-E.

39:42And I'll be there in person, not the AI of me, but the real me. And I think this is a very good time in the world because we're in serious financial trouble. The debt is through the roof. We're the biggest debtor nation in world history. But you don't have to be one of them. If you understand what hard resources are, like my friend who sells 1.8 million eggs a day, he's a rich man. so thank you all for watching the Rich Dad Radio Show thank you to Mike, thank you to Fernando and let's go out and get richer in a world that's going to pieces with debt thank you

40:19this podcast is a presentation of Rich Dad Media Network

From the publisher

Energy isn't just another commodity—it's the foundation of modern civilization. In this episode, Robert Kiyosaki, Michael Mauceli, and Fernando Gonzalez break down why oil and energy continue to shape global power, geopolitics, and economic stability, even as technology and AI accelerate demand.

You'll learn why energy scarcity affects everything from inflation and national security to supply chains and investment opportunities. The conversation explores how wars, political decisions, and economic shifts often trace back to control over energy resources—and why ignoring this reality leaves people unprepared for what's coming next.

This episode also examines how rising energy demand from AI, data centers, and infrastructure is changing the global landscape, and why hard assets tied to production play a critical role in uncertain times. Rather than focusing on headlines or speculation, the discussion highlights long-term forces that drive value and shape wealth.

If you want to understand how energy influences markets, why oil still matters despite new technologies, and how global power is really determined, this conversation offers clarity you won't hear in mainstream media.

00:00 Introduction
04:04 Venezuela's Oil Reserves
05:13 South American Business Ventures
06:56 Venezuela's Political Climate
11:35 The Importance of Hard Assets
24:40 AI and Energy Needs
26:48 Peru's Mining Opportunities
27:51 Shining Path and Terrorism in Peru
30:54 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Events
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WARNING: Banks are taking homes. Global money is leaving the U.S.
Gold and silver are moving first.

U.S. residents only: Get the FREE Rich Dad's Wealth Defense Guide from Priority Gold. Call 866-703-9895, text GUIDE to 24999, or click here:
https://ef.prioritygoldpartners-17.com/58GQMR/JTCNH9/?sub2=0128&sub3=YT

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Skip the waitlist and invest in blue-chip art by signing up for Masterworks: https://www.masterworks.com/richdad

Content creator receives cash compensation from Masterworks, LLC. Celebrities or public figures referenced are not investors in Masterworks Offerings and their affiliation with art is not an endorsement of Masterworks.

When Masterworks presents the net return of an investment in a sold artwork, "net return" or "IRR" refers to the annualized internal rate of return net of all fees and expenses, calculated from the offering closing date to the date the sale is consummated. IRR is not indicative of Masterworks paintings not yet sold and past performance is not indicative of future results. For additional information regarding the calculation of IRR for a particular investment in an artwork that has been sold, a reconciliation will be filed as an exhibit to Form 1-U and will be available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

Visit the offering documents filed with the SEC and masterworks.com/cd for Important Regulation A Disclosures. Sale returns are not inclusive of unsold works.

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Visit Lennar Investor Marketplace to learn more.

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be considered as financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument or engage in any financial activity.

The content presented here is based on the speaker's personal opinions and research, which may not always be accurate or up-to-date. Financial markets and investments carry inherent risks, and individuals should conduct their own research and seek professional advice before making any financial decisions.

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