The EU reacted cautiously Thursday to the fast-moving crisis in Venezuela, reluctant to abandon all hope of dialogue in a country with a huge European expat community.
On Wednesday, the United States, Canada and most of Caracas' South American neighbours endorsed opposition leader Juan Guaido's claim on the Venezuelan presidency.
But European and EU leaders, while expressing support for popular protests against incumbent Nicolas Maduro, did not go so far -- stressing calls for new elections.
In doing so, they hope to preserve an opportunity to reason with the Maduro regime, and to shield thousands of European expatriates from possible retaliation or mob violence.
"Europe supports the restoration of democracy," France's President Emmanuel Macron declared Thursday, dubbing Maduro's May 2018 election "illegitimate".
"I hail the courage of the hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who march for their freedom," he said, without endorsing Guaido's self-declaration as president.
In this, he went only slightly further than EU policy chief Federica Mogherini who rushed out a statement in the name of the 28 EU members after Wednesday's US decision.
"The people of Venezuela have massively called for democracy and the possibility to freely determine their own destiny.
These voices cannot be ignored," she said.
"The EU strongly calls for the start of an immediate political process leading to free and credible elections, in conformity with the Constitutional order."
"The scenario has changed radically, there are deaths, there has been violence, we cannot be as we were before yesterday, we have to prevent things from getting worse."
"For some time now, there has been a search for different options for dialogue, some of which are still open. If all the bridges are cut, it will be very difficult."
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