Ante Pavelić, the leader of the ultranationalist Ustaše regime in Croatia during World War II, fled the Balkans as the Axis powers crumbled in 1945. Known for his brutal policies and collaboration with Nazi Germany, Pavelić escaped justice after the war by joining the infamous "ratlines" — clandestine escape routes organized with the help of sympathetic clergy and former Axis collaborators.
Initially finding refuge in Austria, Pavelić made his way to Italy, where he received assistance from elements within the Catholic Church. In 1948, he secured safe passage to Argentina, a haven for many Axis fugitives under the protection of President Juan Perón. In Buenos Aires, Pavelić lived under the alias "Don Pedro Gónzalez," working as an advisor and quietly maintaining contact with Ustaše supporters.
His relative safety ended in 1957 when he survived an assassination attempt by a Serbian migrant: Blagoje Jovović. Gravely wounded, Pavelić fled Argentina and sought refuge in Francoist Spain, a country sympathetic to anti-communist exiles. Despite lingering injuries, Pavelić avoided extradition and lived quietly near Madrid until his death on December 28, 1959.
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