The United States and major South American nations recognised Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim leader Wednesday while the UN urged dialogue in Caracas to avoid "disaster", leaving President Nicolas Maduro increasingly isolated.
Major regional players Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru and Argentina all gave their backing to Guaido's self-proclamation as acting president, which he made in front of crowd of tens of thousands of supporters in the capital Caracas.
The European Union called for free elections to restore democracy.
Russia however lashed out at Western countries and Cuba and Turkey expressed "solidarity" with Maduro while Mexico extended lukewarm support to him.
In Moscow, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticised the international community saying events in Venezuela "show clearly the attitude of the progressive international community towards international law, sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of a country where it seeks a change in power."
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