Trump says Clinton protected by 'totally rigged system'

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in the home stretch of his campaign on Monday was swift to accuse his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, of being protected by a "rigged system", a reference to the FBI's decision to close the investigation into her e-mails.

"Clinton is being protected by a totally rigged system...At least we know it and people in this country because of us have never known it so obviously as they do now," EFE news quoted Trump as saying during a rally in the city of Sarasota, Florida, one of the states most sought-after by both the candidates.

The New York business magnate focused his speech on attacking the Democratic candidate in order, he said, to end government by corruption.

This Sunday the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), James Comey, told Congress there was no reason to bring charges against Clinton for the use of a private server for State Department e-mails, as he said last July and again now after reviewing new information.

He appealed to Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Venezuelans, Dominicans and Haitians, calling them a wonderful community and promising to be their champion.

If elected President, Trump said he will back the Cuban population against the tremendous oppression of the Castros and will defend freedom in Venezuela.

He made it clear that the basis of his programme is "America first", which requires a radical change, he said, to create a strong, smart leadership because "this country is going bad. Everything is wrong. Our country doesn't win anymore. We're tired of being led by stupid people. They're stupid people. Stupid".

He went on to scare his followers by threatening that if he loses the election, they'll never be able to "drain the swamp" in Washington, not in four years, not in eight years, so they had better get out and vote.

The results of three polls published on Monday were close but did not agree on the winner in this state, which Trump must take in order to reach the White House.

Two of them, taken by Quinnipiac and Opinion Savvy, give a slight lead to Clinton of 1 and 2 per cent respectively.

On the other hand, another poll taken by the Trafalgar Group gives Trump a 4-point lead over his rival in Florida.

Meanwhile the Website RealClear Politics, which takes an average of the latest surveys, gives Clinton a minimal 0.2 per cent lead.

In his address, Trump slammed all the ways in which, in his opinion, the Barack Obama presidency has been a failure, starting with the healthcare reform known as Obamacare.

--IANS

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