Global support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó expanded Monday as a growing chorus of Western nations increased pressure on the authoritarian regime of cash-strapped Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the Wall Street Journal reports:

Several European Union countries recognized Mr. Guaidó as Venezuela’s interim president in a push for fresh presidential elections to end a deepening political crisis and an economic meltdown. Their declarations on Monday came as the Lima Group, a coalition of countries in the Americas that backs Mr. Guaidó as Venezuela’s rightful leader, was meeting in Ottawa to discuss a solution to Venezuela’s turmoil.

“The international community must immediately unite behind Guaidó to restore democracy,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “The time for democratic transition in Venezuela is now”…………….

European support for Mr. Guaidó is critically important as it could propel China to rethink its ties to Mr. Maduro, said Eric Farnsworth, vice president of Americas Society/Council of the Americas. Beijing will want to avoid being seen as one of the last international backers propping up Mr. Maduro as it tries to grow business and political relations elsewhere in Latin America, Mr. Farnsworth told the WSJ…..RTWT