May not attend UN assembly on security worries: Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday said that he was evaluating whether or not he would attend this week's United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, citing concerns about his safety.
"You know they have me in their sights to kill me ... I want to go to New York but I have to take care of my security," Maduro said at a news conference, without elaborating on who might target him.
Earlier during the same news conference, Maduro said Venezuelan ex-military officers were conspiring to overthrow his government with the help of the United States.
In August, a television broadcast by Maduro was cut short during an outdoor speech at a military event after an explosion occurred as two drones with explosives detonated near the President in Caracas. The incident injured several soldiers and led to the arrest of over a dozen suspects including several military officials.
Maduro described the incident as an attempt of assassination and blamed Colombia and unidentified "financiers" in the United States.
Some of his officials meanwhile blamed Venezuela's opposition.
Though the United States has rejected the claims by Maduro by The New York Times on September 8 reported that US officials had met with rebellious Venezuelan military officers, leading Maduro to accuse US President Donald Trump's administration of seeking an intervention and supporting a coup.
Venezuela's economy has collapsed under Maduro, with annual inflation running at 200,000 per cent, and staple foods and basic medicine increasingly difficult to obtain.
The 73rd session of the General Assembly, which Maduro has not attended since 2015, started on Tuesday.
This week also Maduro triggered an outrage in Venezuela after he dined in an expensive steak at a "Salt Bae" restaurant in Istanbul during a stop-off returning from a visit to China.
(With inputs from news agencies)