WASHINGTON (AP) - A senior US official said yesterday Latin American nations must join together to protect democracy against a "creeping authoritarianism" now taking root in the region.

Robert Zoellick, designated by President George W Bush for the State Department's No 2 position, cited in particular the actions of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, whom he accused of doing "terrible things".

Zoellick, who has served as Bush's chief trade official since 2001, said Chavez has been carrying out anti-democratic activities in the same way that former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori did during the 1990s.

"I think it's a very dangerous course for these countries," Zoellick said, testifying before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing.

The new breed of authoritarians follow similar patterns, Zoellick said. "You win the election, but you do away with your opponents, you do away with the press, you do away with the rule of law, you pack the courts," he said.

He said pro-democratic changes adopted by the Organisation of American States in 1991 were designed to protect elected governments against military coups and should be altered to deal with the trend toward authoritarianism.

His comments offered a view of the challenges the United States faces in Latin America that were not heard during the first Bush administration. His testimony could herald a significant departure in hemispheric policy.

Chavez, he said, wants to portray his relationship with the United States as comparable to "David and Goliath". He added that the United States "shouldn't be afraid to say, 'well, he's taking away liberties'. Not at all. We should stand for that (liberties)."

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