Moammar Gaddafi and Hugo Chavez are strengthening their relationship and finding common ground as leaders who want to challenge the “imperialism” of wealthy nations and aspire to speak for poor nations.

The Libyan and Venezuelan leaders led a weekend summit where South American and African leaders pledged to deepen links. Chavez made diplomatic inroads while offering African countries Venezuela’s help in oil projects, mining and financial assistance.

Gaddafi, while on his first visit to Latin America, said the two regions should unite to form a defense alliance, a “NATO for the South” — calling it “SATO.” “Those who were betting on NATO, we now say to them that we’re going to bet on SATO,” Gaddafi said during the summit.