Francisco Franco

Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (1892-1975 ) was the dictator and Head of State of Spain from October 1936, as de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in 1975. He led the Nationalists to victory in the Spanish Civil War, and was actively supported by the Axis. However, Franco kept Spain neutral throughout World War II, offering only token assistance to Germany.

Francisco Franco in The Man With the Iron Heart
After World War II ended, Francisco Franco's Spain (as well as António de Oliveira Salazar's Portugal) gave refuge to fleeing Nazis and Fascists from defeated Axis countries. The United States had expressed the desire to toppled the governments of both Spain and Portugal after Germany fell, but could not muster much support from its allies.

Thus in 1947, several members of the German Freedom Front hi-jacked several planes and landed them in Spain. While they were ultimately arrested by Spanish authorities, Franco's soft touch with his former allies ensured that none would be turned over to the American authorities.