RIO DE JANEIRO, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez Wednesday hailed Brazil's proposal to create a South American defense council, suggesting it could serve as a South Atlantic version of NATO.

    Chavez said he regarded the proposal as "extraordinary" when he arrived in Recife, the capital city of northeastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco, for a meeting with his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

    Chavez said he had favored the creation of a similar entity back in 1999, which failed to be materialized due to lack of enough support across the region.

    Chavez also praised the response by Brazil's Defense Minister Nelson Jobim to U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on the creation of such a council during his recent trip to the United States.

    "I think that (Gates) asked him what Washington could do for the creation of this South American council of defense, and (Jobim) said 'nothing, do not do anything because South America will do it. Leave us alone,'" said Chavez.

    According to Chavez, the idea is similar to that of the 19th century Latin American hero Simon Bolivar, who liberated five South American countries, including Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia, from Spanish control.

    Bolivar had proposed a political, economic and military alliance in the region, Chavez said.

    The proposal for the defense council will be presented to all the countries in the region starting on April 14, when Jobim travels to Venezuela.

    During her trip to Brazil in the beginning of March, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had expressed support for the idea, saying the council would provide a better control over the borders in South America and that she trusted in the Brazilian leadership to carry out the project.