Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Spanish capital Madrid to denounce U.S. policies in Latin America and the Middle East, echoing growing demonstrations in the United States against the Trump administration's rule-breaking approach.
Chanting "We don’t want to be a U.S. colony" and "The children of Gaza are not a threat", demonstrators walked from Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the U.S. Embassy in Madrid. They carried banners condemning U.S. actions abroad and calling for an end to military interventions.
The march was organized by a broad coalition of left-wing political groups and environmental organizations. Participants said they were particularly focused on U.S. policy toward Venezuela, which they argue is driven by a desire to control the country's oil reserves, as well as U.S. support for ongoing military actions in Palestine.
"We are here to denounce the imperialist aggression that the United States made against Venezuela, because they want the petrol, and because it is a part of a larger colonialist, imperialist aggression to the whole Latin America. That's why after this aggression, they threatened Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, and even Greenland. So, we are here to demonstrate against all that," said a protester.
"I'm an American, I'm from North Carolina, and I'm here to protest against Zionism, and as an anti-imperialist. We see ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in Minnesota, sparking protests, like giant protests. I think it's difficult to talk about at first, like Renee Good was shot and killed by a play-pretend police officer," said a protester.
"That is pure fascism, which is rising up against the world, and Venezuela has always fought against fascism," said another protester.
The rally in Madrid has reflected concerns shared by protesters in the United States and elsewhere that what they describe as the Trump administration's "might is right" approach is undermining the traditional rule-based international order and escalating global tensions.
Thousands rally in Madrid against US policies in Latin America, Middle East
Thousands rally in Madrid against US policies in Latin America, Middle East
As China's stock market continues to rebound, international investors are increasingly recognizing the country's high-quality development prospects, announcing plans to maintain an overweight allocation to Chinese assets in 2026 and step up long-term investment, citing confidence in their innovation and sustained growth.
Global investors are shifting their focus from short-term valuation gains to the long-term growth potential of Chinese assets, as corporate transformation and industrial upgrading accelerate. The steady improvement in corporate fundamentals has become the core driver underpinning foreign investors' bullish outlook.
"In the past, markets mainly focused on relative valuation attractiveness. Now, more and more companies are proving themselves through earnings performance and cash flow. We see continuous improvements in Chinese firms' capabilities in research and development investment, product iteration, and global expansion. Innovation is no longer just about scaling up, but increasingly about efficiency and quality," said Wen Tianna, President of Hong Kong Boda Capital International.
The sustained innovation capacity of Chinese enterprises, coupled with targeted governmental policies, is further amplifying the global appeal of Chinese assets.
"For global investors, Chinese assets offer both high-quality earnings growth and strong macro policy support, making them a core component of global asset allocation," said Wang Xinjie, Chief Investment Strategist of Standard Chartered China Wealth Solutions Department.
Looking ahead to 2026, investment in the AI industrial chain has emerged as a broad consensus. Meanwhile, sectors such as new consumption are also becoming focal points, drawing increasing global attention to opportunities in China.
"Recently, our UBS Greater China Conference in Shanghai attracted more than 3,600 participants. Notably, the number of investors from the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa rose by 32 percent year on year. The surge in Chinese innovation is creating valuable opportunities for global investors to position for high-quality growth," said Xu Bin, Head of Research from UBS Securities.
Foreign investors bullish on long-term growth potential of Chinese assets in 2026
