Podcast Summary:

Rich Dad Radio Show – "Why Oil Still Controls Wars, Politics, and Global Power"
Host: Robert Kiyosaki
Guests: Mike Maselli (Oil Executive), Fernando Gonzalez (Peruvian Naval Academy Grad)
Date: January 28, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Robert Kiyosaki brings together oilman Mike Maselli and Peruvian military veteran Fernando Gonzalez to dive deep into how oil continues to shape global politics, wars, and power structures. Against a backdrop of recent U.S. military actions in Venezuela and broader geopolitical maneuvers by President Trump, the conversation repeatedly returns to the vital and enduring role of oil and the importance of investing in real, hard assets.

Main Discussion Points & Key Insights

1. Why Oil Still Drives Geopolitics

• Venezuela's Oil Reserves

  • Mike: Venezuela holds 280-300 billion barrels of oil ("the number one oil reserves in the world" – 04:33).
  • U.S. refineries set up to blend Venezuela’s heavy crude, aligning U.S. interests with controlling or accessing Venezuelan oil.

• Geostrategic Motives for U.S. Intervention

  • Robert speculates that U.S. actions against Venezuela may be about cutting off Chinese access to oil (06:13).
  • Mike agrees, adding that Trump’s objective is keeping Chinese and Russian interests at bay in the Western Hemisphere, highlighting broader U.S. strategy (06:25).

• Historical Parallels and Ripple Effects

  • The Vietnam War is linked to Occidental Petroleum interests (11:58, 18:45), showing a pattern of U.S. military policy following oil.
  • Removing Venezuela’s leadership could create a domino effect, impacting Cuba and Nicaragua (08:55).

• Iran and Oil

  • Iran is cited as "the number three producer" that Trump is pressuring, further illustrating the oil-power nexus (14:43).

2. South American & Venezuelan Perspectives

• Venezuelan Dictatorship & Liberation

  • Fernando highlights the misery under Chavez and Maduro, both who "sucked the money from the country", leaving Venezuelans earning "$4 per month" while leaders siphoned wealth to personal accounts and foreign allies (07:29).
  • Celebratory mood post-intervention: "There was a change of celebration in the whole Latin America... everybody drinking on the streets because Maduro was removing from power" (10:40).

• Regional Security Concerns

  • Hezbollah and other unfriendly actors were embedded in Venezuela, seen as threats to regional and U.S. interests (07:29, 13:36).
  • Excitement in the region about the spread of democracy and business opportunities with dictators gone (13:36, 29:10).

• U.S. Investment in South America

  • U.S. administration recently committed $1 billion to modernize the Peruvian Navy (13:36) – a sign of renewed American interest and presence.

3. Business, Investment, and Oil Realities

• Opportunities in South America

  • Mike describes his work in Argentina's oil sector, selling a major find to Shell right before currency devaluation: "It wasn't that we were smart, we were just lucky and got out" (21:56).

• Why Resources Trump Paper Assets

  • Robert’s investment philosophy: “I like oil because oil is the lifeblood of a civilization... I invest in resources. I like something I can see, touch, and feel" (24:12).
  • Warns listeners against paper assets like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds (31:08).

• The Enduring Role of Oil

  • Over 6,000 products use oil – it’s not just gasoline. Mike: "I don't think they'll find a replacement... natural gas is still the cleanest burning fuel" (26:03).
  • AI’s energy demand: "AI power plants... being built in West Texas where they have easy access to natural gas and oil... Trump said they're not going to put money in the grid. These AI factories will have to supply their own power" (27:28).

• Green Energy Skepticism

  • Europe’s attempt to escape fossil fuels led to high energy prices and inefficient industry: "The greenies took over... they wanted to get away from oil and natural gas and all this, and they couldn't do it" (28:04).
  • Nuclear power's issues: Waste remains toxic for "10,000 years" (28:04).

• Precious Metals and Hard Assets

  • Peru is the #2 global producer of gold, also rich in silver (29:10).
  • Robert touts silver as an undervalued investment: "$5 an ounce in 1990... possibly in 2027 it'll be $200 an ounce" (24:12).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On U.S. Foreign Policy and Oil

  • “What better deal for Trump than try to control the most oil reserves in the world, right?” — Mike Maselli (04:33)

• On Venezuela's Plight

  • "The average salary in Venezuela is $4 per month. However, Switzerland government just found 113 tons of gold in Maduro's personal bank account." — Fernando Gonzalez (07:29)
  • "Everybody [was] drinking on the streets because Maduro was removing from power." — Fernando Gonzalez (10:40)

• Philosophy of Resource Investing

  • "I like oil because oil is the lifeblood of a civilization... I invest in resources. I like something I can see, touch, and feel." — Robert Kiyosaki (24:12, 31:08)

• On the Economic Opportunity Post-Dictatorship

  • "There's a lot of opportunity there. It just depends what's going to happen with the government." — Mike Maselli (05:44)
  • "Combining that strength from the whole South America united with, with USA under the President Trump leadership, I think is going to be amazing. And it's happening." — Fernando Gonzalez (29:48)

• On the Shining Path in Peru

  • "[They were] terrorist people that were educated in China... terrorizing people and putting the country in their knees." — Fernando Gonzalez (30:13)

• On Energy and Civilization

  • "Civilization runs on energy. Oil and 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." — Robert Kiyosaki (28:04)

Timestamps for Key Segments

01:08 – Robert Kiyosaki opens episode; introduces guests and “Trump Derangement Syndrome”
04:33 – Venezuela’s oil reserves and U.S. interests (Mike Maselli)
06:13 – Is Trump’s motive to cut China off from Venezuelan oil?
07:29 – The Latin American perspective on Venezuela: dictatorship, foreign influence, public mood (Fernando Gonzalez)
10:40 – Describing the precision of US-led intervention in Venezuela
13:36 – U.S. invests $1B into Peruvian Navy; regional security
14:43 – Iran’s role as a major oil producer
21:56 – Mike describes past oil drilling and investing success in Argentina
24:12 – 26:03 – Robert’s investing philosophy: oil, gold, silver vs. paper assets
26:03 – 28:04 – Will oil be replaced? Natural gas, nuclear, and the rise of AI energy needs
29:10 – Peru’s gold and silver production, post-dictatorship opportunities
30:13 – Shining Path history and terrorism’s economic impact (Fernando Gonzalez)
33:18 – Final words: Why control of oil means control of global power (Mike Maselli and Fernando Gonzalez)
34:41–36:08 – Closing thoughts, REI Energy details, and investing outlook

Closing Notes & Takeaways

• Oil remains central to both economic well-being and global power.
• Resource investing—especially in oil, gold, silver, and even food—offers resilience when traditional financial assets falter.
• Both geopolitical conflict and economic opportunity in South America are expected to intensify as U.S. policy turns hard again against rival global powers and local dictatorships.
• Hard assets and energy will be key to navigating and profiting from the turbulence ahead.

Useful for investors, policymakers, and anyone keen to understand how the world’s oldest commodities continue to drive modern financial and political drama.