Fernando González is at the epicenter of the personal finance revolution in the Hispanic community. He is the CEO of Rich Dad Latino, known as "The Real Mentor," asset creator and the exclusive representative of Robert Kiyosaki (author of the book Father Rich, Poor Father, the best-selling book in the world on financial freedom), for the Hispanic community for more than 26 years. From his trips with Kiyosaki throughout Latin America, González, an entrepreneur and speaker born in Peru, has a clear message about the region and the changes that are happening in some countries like Argentina. "President Milei must be congratulated for the guts he has in having taken the bull by the horns and promoting capitalism as a source of prosperity. And at the same time, for unmasking the socialism that has brought so much backwardness to Latin American in the last decade," he said in an exclusive dialogue with LPO.

González, who went from earning 150 dollars a month in his native Peru to obtaining "financial freedom" and living in Miami many years ago, reviewed with LPO not only the advice to Hispanics in the search for their economic well-being, but he immersed himself in the debate that exists in the region due to disappointment with politics and migration to countries like the United States.

"Milei tiene que aprender de sus errores porque si fracasa le van a echar la culpa a Trump"

You told me that you are very impressed with Javier Milei.

President Milei must be congratulated for the guts in having taken the bull by the horns and promoting capitalism as a source of prosperity. And at the same time, unmasking the socialism that has brought so much backwardness to Latin America in the last decade. Especially with this so-called socialism of the 21st century, which is a poster for poverty. So, that seems great to me. But President Milei must be congratulated for the way he is influencing and I think that this is going to have an excellent impact in South America.

"What I like about Milei is that he represents precisely what we haven't seen for many years. The politician makes you believe things. He tells you those things without a filter. If we are screwed, he tells you we are screwed, this is what is going to happen. But he didn't make up a story and then do something else."

Is that optimistic outlook that you have with the Argentine president shared by other Latinos in the business world in the US?

I think so. He has emerged as a leader of hope, because what we have to see is not so much the ideology, but the results. So, it is very easy to say we are all equal, we are all equally poor. It is very easy to say that, to distribute what is not yours. We build and they distribute what we build. But I think so, in the United States you can see it, because many of us who come to the United States we come in search of freedom and we are forced to leave our countries precisely for that reason, because we are looking for a Milei, we are looking for freedom.

And the number of Argentines who have come in recent years is surprising, because they are Argentines who are very prepared, qualified, programmers, brilliant professionals, it is sad to see the talent from Argentina come in search of an opportunity while the country is sinking in misery. So, I think that most of us Latinos identify ourselves with that, because under other conditions we would continue in our country, but when we are forced to emigrate, it is in search of a better opportunity for our families.

What is your assessment of the region now?

Look, I see that there is an awakening in Latin America. I also see that through the educational system wrong ideas have been given to youth. I see that very clearly. There is an agenda there, that was directed by someone very powerful, right? But that is old. And now people are realizing that that's not how things are. We are waking up from that lethargy because we didn't know that was happening. So, I am optimistic. And this is not about whether I am from the left, the center or the right. It is not about an ideology, but rather that the essence of the human being is freedom, not slavery.

So, you can think differently, respect others' ideas, but not impose them. And also, no one can be happy in poverty. We all need to feel prosperous. And I see that education is starting to improve in Latin America. A change is beginning to be seen. So, and as I said before, for me the Milei phenomenon is highly important. Why? Because Milei goes beyond demagoguery. He is looking for results.

A rich country like Argentina cannot be immersed in economic misery, where everyone travels and everything is very cheap due to the weakness of its currency, but Argentines cannot consume like tourists. That is not right. So, it seems to me that what they are doing in Latin America, in this case in Argentina, of modernizing their infrastructure, re-engineering education, attracting capital, all of this is also happening in different Latin American countries.

And as I tell you, it is not a political issue, it is an issue that, due to an ideology, we cannot all remain blocked. We should not be exporting raw materials, but adding value, and that requires qualified labor. Because in Latin America we have rich countries, but with a poor educational system. I am optimistic, I think that the change is going to begin to be seen.

Telam

Could it be that Argentina's case, if successful, will end up being copied by other countries in the region?

I think so. It's my personal opinion, because what I like about Milei is that he represents precisely what we have not seen for many years. The politician makes you believe things. He tells you things without a filter. If we are screwed, he tells you we are screwed, this is what is going to happen. But he didn't make up a story or tell you a story and then do something else. So, he is a man who has no filter, who tells you what he thinks. And that is very appreciated because you already know what to expect. But sometimes we think that populism, where theoretically there will be great prosperity, is where poverty is really generated. That must end. And I think that is precisely the opportunity that I see for President Milei. I think it is a good model for Latin America and, of course, there will be those who are scared because their bottle is running out.

Of course, we'll see how it continues. Despite the setbacks, it is still a work in progress...

Of course. I think that, for example in my topic, which is not politics but freedom, there is no freedom when they impose a totalitarian system on you, right? So, that's why people have to flee, because more important than money itself is freedom. Money is only an instrument. It is not the end, it is an instrument. So, when our countries open up to their economies, they open up to competition, they modernize their education, because the education we have is from the last century, the algorithm of Facebook, Instagram, Google, changes from one week to the next. And we often see that, due to a weak education system, new graduates come out prepared for the old economy. So, we are rich countries with a poor educational system.

There is an awakening in Latin America. I see that through the educational system wrong ideas have been sent to the youth. There is an agenda there, that was directed by someone very powerful. But now people are realizing that that's not how things are. We are waking up from that lethargy.

Education, even to be able to understand how to move financially, is key.

I think that after having traveled through Latin America with Roby Kiyosaki, we have been to Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Spain, Ecuador, Uruguay. Look, there are three fundamental things that Latinos need to know to undertake a project, because that's where it all begins. First, we have to prepare, to educate ourselves to know what problem we are going to solve. That's elementary. That must be clear.

The second step is to know why everything is different, why they will choose you. Argentines are very good at innovation, for example, you have to know how to innovate, create, approach problems with curiosity from a different angle, right? In mine case, for example, why do they pay attention to me? Because I have been with Robert Kiyosaki for more than 26 years, I am financially free, I have experience in real estate investments, digital businesses, I am the author of the book "From fear to freedom." So you have to know how to differentiate. And third, know who your client is. My client is not the one who wants to watch television and blame the pandemic or the socialism of the 21st century. My client is the one who takes control of his life and wants to jump to the next level. He is committed to his success.

And the final path is to obtain financial freedom, that is, not living to work but having assets that allow you to get out of that race.

Those three steps that I mentioned take more or less five years for an entrepreneur to realize what it takes to be successful, because being an entrepreneur is not a cakewalk. You have to make efforts, sacrifices, overcome fear. You must have courage, act despite the fear of the unknown. But it all starts with something fundamental, when you can spend more than you earn, right? You must know how to postpone immediate gratification, how to postpone that immediate satisfaction and educate yourself on the things you want to undertake. These things that I have just told you are the things that went good for me undertaking as a Latino.

Many of us who come to the United States come in search of freedom and we are forced to leave our countries precisely for that reason, because we are looking for a Milei, we are looking for freedom. And the number of Argentines who have come in recent years is surprising.

Because there will always be a newer iPhone, there will always be a more modern car, there will always be a bigger apartment. Things in the physical world never satisfy the inner world, that is insatiable, so the key there is to differentiate what I need versus what I want. So everything you buy and don't need, you are paying for with your financial freedom, keeping you working instead of using those economic resources to build your asset, your freedom. So that is essential.

It must be more difficult for Latinos because we come from countries with deficiencies, that are not prosperous. So arriving in the United States with the entire market at your disposal... it must be a temptation not to embrace consumerism.

Yes. I think that what you mention is a consciousness raising of the Latino, because history repeats itself if you don't prepare now that you are healthy and have energy; when you get old, you depend on a miserable pension. As of January 1, in the United States 12,400 people retire per day because they have already turned 65. Of those 12,400 people who retire daily, 45% do not have a retirement fund, they do not get a pension.

In 2034, if everything continues as it goes, the system will collapse and at least they will have to reduce the retirement pension by 30%, which is already low. So today you see the American that you didn't see before driving an Uber or working part-time jobs because what they earn is not enough. I, who train this community, realize that yes, there is a change, an awakening, because we are workers but generally when we become old we depend on an incalculable pension.

Translator: Bibiana Ruiz.