Bogota (dpa) - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said on Thursday that he won't attend the annual UN General Assembly (UNGA) meeting later in September.

The embattled president told a crowd of young socialist party members in Caracas that he will skip the meeting of world leaders in New York.

"I went last year," Maduro said, "this year I won't go. This year I will stay with you working here in Venezuela "

Maduro, who was scheduled to speak at the UNGA on September 26, said that Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza would head to New York in his place "to bring the voice and the truth of the Venezuelan people."

The summit comes as Venezuela launched military exercises near the Colombian border earlier in the week amid deteriorating relations between the South American neighbours.

Colombia accuses Venezuela of protecting Colombian guerrilla groups and intends to present its allegations at the UNGA, while Maduro said Caracas would report Bogota to the UN and other international organizations for alleged "war-like" plans.