Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is claiming he cancelled his trip to the U.N. General Assembly in New York this week due to threats on his safety. Maduro said political opponents were planning what he called “provocations” and direct threats.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro: “One of the provocations could have led to a situation of violence in New York, and certainly the international campaign was going to begin: Venezuela Maduro, Venezuela Violence, etc. We are not there for that (purpose). And the other provocation was designed to affect my physical integrity.”

In his comments, Maduro cited the alleged involvement of Otto Reich and Roger Noriega, two former Republican administration officials who backed the 2002 coup that briefly ousted Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez. Maduro clashed with the State Department last week after he was briefly denied access to U.S. airspace on his way to China.