Differences under the surface along party lines
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Officially, the 28 EU members have agreed on a common position and avoided recognizing the self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaidó.
Yet they remain very critical towards Nicolás Maduro.
But some voices have been much clearer and have openly shown their support for Guaidó ... as the president of the Council, Donald Tusk
"Unlike Maduro the parliamentary assembly, including Juan Guaidó has a democratic mandate from Venezuelan citizens", he tweeted.
The Socialist group in the European Parliament has called for unity.
"We must act in a very responsible way. It is a delicate moment, and we cannot as European Union add further stress to the situation.
We must help to find a solution - one that can only be achieved through the ballot box", says Spanish MEP Iratxe Garcia.
The conservative EPP believes instead that this is a golden opportunity to get rid of Nicolás Maduro and that the EU should play its hand accordingly.
Jimenez Becerril, another MEP from Spain: "I believe that Maduro was self-proclaimed and not Juan Guaidó.
Guaidó is the one, because the Consitution allows him, who can take office and be the executive president."
The European Left speaks openly of a coup d'etat and demands respect for Maduro.