The free world, which proudly includes Jamaica, relies heavily on the United States to remain the greatest bastion of democracy, with free and fair elections as the central feature and an enduring symbol.

For that reason, we are appalled at the recent claim by the Republican presidential nominee, Mr Donald Trump, that the US elections are rigged. We note, of course, that he has not yet provided any evidence of his claim.

To the contrary, however, the US electoral commission has said in a review of one billion votes, some years ago, only 31 could be regarded as voter fraud since 2000.

The US elections are followed closely by free nations, largely because, among other reasons, they feel they have a vested interest in the outcome. America is regarded as the undisputed leader of the free world, but only Americans get to elect that leader, and essentially they do so on our behalf.

While we are not expecting perfection, the free world holds up American democracy as the standard by which everyone else is judged. Jamaica has a keen understanding of this concept because of our painful experience with a flawed electoral system highlighted by massive bogus voting and political violence.

And yet, even when that broken system was in operation – that is, before the time of Mr Danville Walker, the former director of elections — electoral results were still credible, and it was possible for the losing party to accept its defeat.

The Carter Foundation, established by former US President Jimmy Carter, is among the many observer organisations that have certified our elections over the years.

The Carter Foundation, ironically, might need to observe the 2016 US presidential elections to certify that they are not rigged as Mr Trump is now insisting they will be. However, until he provides proof of the veracity of his claim, we believe that Mr Trump should refrain from such charges.

He will not be doing his campaign any favours by continuing to make baseless charges which not only suggest that he thinks he will lose to Mrs Hillary Clinton, but turn off Americans and the rest of the free world. It is not by accident that over 100 newspapers in that country have endorsed the Democratic nominee. The number includes some which have never endorsed a Democratic candidate in over a century of publication. Only one has so far endorsed Mr Trump.

The San Diego Union-Tribune summarises it best: “This paper has not endorsed a Democrat for president in its 148-year history. But we endorse Clinton. She’s the safe choice for the US and for the world, for Democrats and Republicans alike.”

Interestingly, most of the endorsements came before the revelation of the video tape showing Mr Trump on an Access Hollywood bus boasting of sexually assaulting women, followed by a growing number of women coming out to allege that they were assaulted by him as far back as 2005. He has denied the allegations but is losing women voters fast.

Even if he senses a loss, Mr Trump must remember that the free world needs a functioning US democracy.