The United States Tuesday rejected accusations that three U.S. diplomats plotted against the Venezuelan government and was mulling whether to take any tit-for-tat action after the Americans were expelled.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered the top U.S. diplomat in Venezuela and two other embassy officials Monday to leave the country, accusing them of plotting acts of sabotage with the opposition.

Venezuela complained Thursday to the United Nations about U.S. "obstacles" preventing President Nicolas Maduro and his delegation from attending the global body's General Assembly summit.

On Wednesday, Maduro scrapped his plans to take part in the U.N. leaders meeting in New York, claiming he had received threats.

Air France said on Thursday it will take civil action in court after 1.3 tons of cocaine were smuggled into Paris on a flight from Venezuela.

The drugs were hidden in 30 suitcases and placed on a plane flying from Caracas to Paris on September 11.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Wednesday he had scrapped his plan to take part in the U.N. General Assembly in New York to "protect my life" after purported threats on it.

Maduro, just back from a visit to China, said that on a layover in Vancouver he received intelligence on what he said were "two highly serious provocations," which prompted him to scrap his U.N. trip.

Venezuela said Monday it has asked the United Nations for guarantees that its president and his entourage will be respected by the United States when they attend the General Assembly this week.

Venezuela is angry because it says the United States temporarily denied permission Thursday for a plane due to take President Nicolas Maduro to China to go through U.S. air space.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Sunday, vowing to strengthen the partnership established by his predecessor, deceased leader Hugo Chavez.

Cooperation between the two countries has blossomed in recent years following the signing of several multi-billion-dollar agreements on investments in oil, energy, construction and high-tech industries.

French police have seized 1.3 tons of pure cocaine found on board an Air France cargo plane, Interior Minister Manuel Valls announced Saturday.

The drugs, seized on September 11, had been packed into 30 suitcases, Valls told a news conference in Nanterre, outside Paris.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said he had arrived in Beijing on Saturday after accusing the United States of refusing his plane access to its airspace for the journey.

"I have just arrived in China to strengthen friendship and cooperation between our two countries," said Maduro, successor to deceased former leader Hugo Chavez, on a newly created weibo microblog, China's equivalent to Twitter.

A northwestern Venezuelan prison was evacuated Friday after a violent brawl left 16 people dead, authorities said.

"We completed the evacuation of Maracaibo National Prison with joy, hope, support and recognition from the people of Zulia," Prisons Minister Iris Varela wrote on Twitter.

The United States said Friday it granted access to its airspace so Venezuela's president can fly to China, denying claims by Caracas that permission was denied.

On Thursday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro bristled with outrage at the "serious offense" of denying his plane rights to U.S. airspace for the weekend voyage.