Venezuela accused the United States of hampering its diplomatic efforts Thursday, saying Washington was denying airspace to its China-bound president and blocking visas for its U.N. delegation.

In a fiery speech in the capital Caracas, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro bristled with outrage at the "serious offense" of denying his plane rights to American airspace over the Atlantic, and vowed his planned trip to Beijing this weekend would not be delayed.

At least 16 people were killed in a clash between inmates at a Venezuelan prison, authorities and a non-governmental organization said Tuesday.

Humberto Prado, director of the Venezuelan Prison Observatory, told Agence France Presse the brawl broke out Monday in the Maracaibo prison in the northwest of the country.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has claimed the White House is plotting the "collapse" of his government next month by sabotaging food, electricity and fuel supplies.

"I have data about a meeting at the White House, the full names of those who attended. I know what plans they made for the total collapse" of the country, Maduro said Saturday during a ceremony in northern Aragua state.

President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday blamed Venezuela's right-wing opposition for what he dubbed "sabotage" that prompted blackouts which plunged much of the country into chaos.

"At this hour, all signs indicate that the extreme right has implemented its plan to carry out an Electrical Coup against the nation," leftist Maduro said on Twitter.

Venezuela said Monday it derailed a plot to kill President Nicolas Maduro, arresting two hitmen it said wanted to assassinate the leftist leader on orders from a Colombian right-wing ex-president.

Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez said at a briefing that Caracas arrested the alleged hitmen, two Colombians, on August 13.

Eager to resurrect her failed marriage, Mercedes dreamed of having a shapely rear end. A risky, potentially deadly, silicone injection technique beckoned. She said yes. Now she rues that day.

"It hurts so much I cannot sit down for even five minutes," said the 45-year-old, her voice quivering. She is so embarrassed she won't give her last name.

Boasting the highest waterfall in the world, nearly deserted Caribbean islands and dense jungles with ocean views, Venezuela has everything a tourist could want -- except the tourists are not coming.

In a country where explorer Christopher Columbus once believed he had found heaven on earth, officials are struggling to draw travelers, with only 700,000 visitors each year, in part due to Venezuela's somewhat tarnished image.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro recalled his ambassador to Cairo on Friday and called for Egypt's ousted president Mohammed Morsi to be reinstated.

He also urged the restoration of constitutional order in Egypt, where more than 600 people have been killed in protests since Wednesday.

A lightning bolt ignited fuel at an oil refinery east of Caracas on Sunday, sending giant columns of black smoke into the sky and forcing hundreds to evacuate.

Despite the dramatic scene there were no victims and the blaze was controlled just hours after it broke out, President Nicolas Maduro said in a message on Twitter.

Venezuela's foreign minister on Tuesday reaffirmed his government's offer of asylum to U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, in comments made public by his office here.

Jaua was asked about the offer in an interview in New York with Russian-based RT television network.