According to Jorge Verstrynge, Brussels' wait-and-see stance is due to "the EU's responsibility if it comes to recognising a coupist as president of Venezuela".
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"However much they follow the Americans, there are lines that cannot be crossed," he said.
"In such important cases, decisions in the EU must be made unanimously; some countries, like Hungary or, to some extent, Italy, are under pressure," the expert noted.
The political analyst recalled that in the Cold War era, "both the Eastern and the Western Blocs didn't accept any interference".
"The Eastern Bloc disappeared and interferences, humanitarian wars and coups d'état appeared to stifle popular will. And that's what is happening in Venezuela at the moment: a brutal attack on the sovereignty of a country."
"How could they tell a country something like ‘listen, either you hold elections or we'll recognise an unknown person you've never voted for who you don't know anything about except that he sometimes speaks to US president Trump'? How could you do that? What sort of world is it?" Jorge Verstrynge wondered.
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On 26 January, Germany, France, Spain and the UK announced their intention to recognise Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela if Maduro's government doesn't hold elections within the next eight days.
Later, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini called for "the urgent holding of free, transparent and credible presidential elections in accordance with international democratic standards and the Venezuelan constitutional order".
The views and opinions expressed by the speaker do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.
