CARACAS, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) — Venezuela will stage defensive military drills on Feb. 24 and 25, President Nicolas Maduro said on Saturday.

"I have instructed the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB)... to undertake a comprehensive, multidimensional defense operation of our national territory — the 2018 Independence military drill," Maduro said.

The president made the announcement from Vargas state, where he presided over a ceremony where the Simon Bolivar School Ship set sail for several Latin American countries.

The annual military drill aims to "fine tune" the country's defense readiness, said Maduro.

"We are going to fine tune all the troop movements, we are going to fine tune all the tank movements, all the missiles, all the airplanes, helicopters and, above all, we are going to fine tune the taking aim of the nation's soul," said Maduro.

The armed forces will be coordinating with the military reserves, national militia and civilian population.

"We will never allow an imperialist foreign military boot to touch the sacred ground of our Venezuelan nation," said the president.