dictartorship is only acceptable if the dictator is a communist..
Franco was a pretty sly fox. He always gave the impression of being friendly toward the Nazis who had after all helped him fight against the Soviet backed Republicans who wanted to establish a socialist dictatorship, buuuut at the same time he would never actually commit to doing anything significant to help the Nazis and would not get involved in the war.
After meeting with Franco and trying to get him to jump on board with the Axis, Hitler came away from the meeting saying he would rather have several teeth extracted than have to negotiate with Franco again. Spain had been backwards and the civil war left it significantly damaged. Spain was in no condition to start trading punches with America and the British Empire. Once the war was over, he was very cooperative with Britain and America against the Commies. Like Pinochet, he left his country in far better shape than he found it.