Marchers protest amid heavy security at summit of leaders from US, Mexico and Canada

Protests, heavy security mark North America summit

GUADALAJARA, Mexico —About 400 people marched outside the North American Leaders Summit on Sunday to protest the negative affects of free trade and to demand benefits for retired Mexican laborers who worked in the U.S.

Caravans of heavily armed federal agents patrolled the streets. Dozens of police carrying riot gear manned roadblocks meant to keep protesters away from the center where U.S. President Barack Obama, Mexican President Felipe Calderon and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will meet for the two-day summit.

The leaders arrived in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara on Sunday.

Several Mexican, U.S. and Canadian groups announced they would hold an alternate summit to discuss the “15 years of NAFTA’s economic failures,” referring to the North American Free Trade Agreement enacted in 1994 to remove trade barriers among the three nations.

NAFTA has been criticized for putting small Mexican farmers out of business and spurring waves of immigration to the U.S., as well as causing American jobs to move overseas.

The protesters also demanded immigration reform in the U.S. and that Mexican laborers in a World War II-era guest-worker program receive the money withheld from their paychecks.

Security cooperation and swine flu are among the prime topics expected to be discussed by the three North American leaders. One of Mexico’s top priorities will be addressing newly established visa requirements for its citizens who want to visit Canada.