Juan Guaidó speaks on January 25 | Edilzon Gamez/Getty Images EU ramps up pressure on Venezuela EU pledges ‘further action’ if president does not call a new election, building on calls from Paris, Berlin and Madrid.

The European Union on Saturday urged Venezuela to call elections in the coming days, warning that it would otherwise "take further actions" including the potential recognition of the country's parliamentary chief, Juan Guaidó, as interim president.

The statement — issued by the EU's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, on behalf of the 28 EU countries — came several hours after France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom urged Venezuela to call an election within eight days, pledging to otherwise recognize the opposition leader as president.

"The Venezuelan people must be able to freely decide their future," French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted Saturday. "Without elections announced within 8 days, we will be ready to recognize Juan Guaidó as the 'president in charge' of Venezuela to start a political process. We are working on this between European partners."

The German government's deputy spokesperson, Martina Fietz, put out a similar statement, adding that Berlin is "working closely with European partners." Speaking in a televised address, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez issued the same deadline for Caracas to hold "fair, free and transparent elections." U.K. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt echoed that position, tweeting Guaidó "is the right person to take Venezuela forward" and pledging to recognize him as interim leader if no new election is held.

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets this week to express their anger over spiraling inflation, a persistent shortage of basic goods and electoral fraud. They also demanded the resignation of Nicolás Maduro, who was inaugurated for a second term as president on January 10.

The EU's joint statement is more careful than the position taken by Paris, Berlin, Madrid and the U.K.

"In the absence of an announcement on the organization of fresh elections with the necessary guarantees over the next days, the EU will take further actions, including on the issue of recognition of the country’s leadership in line with Article 233 of the Venezuelan constitution," it says.

Article 233 is a reference to Guaidó: It says the parliamentary leader should temporarily take leadership to organize new elections within 30 days if the president "becomes permanently unavailable."

Guaidó used Article 233 to declare himself interim president on Wednesday, arguing that Maduro's reelection last year was rigged and that there is therefore no democratically elected president available.

Mogherini's statement leaves open whether Brussels might recognize Guaidó as a legitimate leader. An EU diplomat said Saturday it had been impossible to achieve a clearer formulation, as some EU countries still have concerns about the 35-year-old Venezuelan opposition leader's claims.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Saturday that the call to support Guaidó is "shared by the immense majority" but not all EU countries.

Still, the statement from Brussels is more decisive than a previous declaration earlier this week, which fell short of an agreement on who it considers to be in charge in Venezuela.

The United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada and other countries, meanwhile, were quick to recognize Guaidó.

The push from France, Germany, Spain and the U.K. has put pressure on other EU countries to take action, another EU diplomat said.

Their readiness to recognize Guaidó if the president does not call a new election within eight days could also mean Paris, Berlin, Madrid and London break ranks with the EU position — unless the rest of the bloc follows suit.

Maduro, who told U.S. diplomats on Wednesday they had 72 hours to leave the country, on Friday threatened to expel Spanish diplomats as well.

"Let them go quickly, they have no lessons to give us, their embassy and their staff. We would be happier without them," Maduro told reporters in Caracas.

Maduro has since backed down on his demand for U.S. diplomats to be dismissed. His foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza, said Saturday the government agreed with the U.S. to maintain diplomats for 30 days while Washington and Caracas negotiate a downgrade in diplomatic relations.

This article has been updated.