Generalissimo Franco was just one of many people that the "progressives" successfully made into a bigger ogre than was the case. Marshal Mannerheim was another who made the reds look bad and suffered bad press for his troubles. Considering the number of Communists that made it out of Vichy France and into Spain by the skin of their teeth, one might expect at least a little sympathy for el Caudillo, but being a commie means never having an ounce of gratitude.
Hitler supposedly told an aide that he would rather have his teeth pulled out than have another meeting like the one he had just had with Franco. If that isn't a character recommendation, I don't know what is.