◆ SpookStack

gave a formal "go" to the Covert Action Plan of the Agency which had been agreed to by the 5412 Group. Mr. Nixon's only reported comments during this meet- ing concerned the cutting off of new capital to Cuba, the pulling out of private American firms, and the possibilities of reducing tourism to stop the flow of American dollars into Cuba. 7/ Perhaps one of the reasons why Vice President Nixon has been attributed with playing a major role in the Bay of Pigs activity h~s to do with the re- lationship between Nixan·s office and Mr. William D. Pawley, former US Ambassador to Peru and Brazil and a US businessman with extensive investments in Cuba and interests in various other parts of Latin America. Pawley also was a principal contributor ,to the Repub- lican party, particularly to Mr. Nixon's cause. Ap- parently hopeful of an appointment as Assistant Secre- tary of State for Latin American affairs -- assuming a Republican party victory in the 1960 presidential election -- Pawley was a ~idely known conservative. In the spring of 1960, shortly following Presi- dent Eisenhower's decision to promote the anti-Castro program, Pawley's contacts with the Agency {particularly - 2~9 - 1"OP SECR£ I