Having lived in the Southern Cone I do recall that the people there held the opinion that Spanish Jesuits (labeled, ‘always the last to learn’) brought Liberation Theology (a Marxism that had failed in Europe and was last to survive in Spain), to the region. They introduced so-called comunidades de base, or base communities, and eventually met strong resistance by indigenous Catholics who understood that the process would de-centralize the bishoprics and weaken the Church itself. For a time there was a real struggle for the hearts and minds of Catholics; no doubt one in which Bergoglio took part.
Remember the famous film clip of Pope John Paul chastising and shaking his finger at an astonished priest who was promoting lib theology.