The Catholic Defender: Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was generally supportive of the spiritual value of Medjugorje

Yes, this is accurate. As Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger consistently distinguished between the question of the supernatural origin of the visions and the spiritual fruitfulness of the site

In 1985, Ratzinger famously noted that even if modern critical thinking might question some aspects of the apparitions, it does not detract from the fact that the pilgrimages were fruitful, useful, and important for the life of the Christian people.

 He maintained the official stance that individual faithful were free to visit and receive spiritual care, and that the Church does not want to repress anything bringing good spiritual fruits. 

 Recognizing the global impact of the site, as Pope he established an international commission (the Ruini Commission) to thoroughly investigate the phenomenon. 

This historical approach heavily influenced the official Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith document—approved by Pope Francis—which granted a Nihil Obstat for the devotion. This allowed public worship and official pilgrimages, celebrating the spiritual renewal of pilgrims without definitively ruling on the supernatural nature of the apparitions themselves

Notice the great deception coming from Communist John Benko as he lies over and over again:

What attracts Don Hartley to Medjugorje? God's work happening there,

"Maybe it is the defrocked priest who was exiled by Cardinal Ratzinger for conjuring up demons. Maybe it's the one who impregnated a nun" The statement is False 

This is an example how John Benko is deceiving his T4P on President Trump and on Medjugorje

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was involved in multiple high-profile disciplinary and canonical cases during his time as the head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and as Pope.  None from Medjugorje:

Father Marcial Maciel: The founder of the Legion of Christ was accused of widespread abuse. In 2006, after Cardinal Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI, he banished Maciel from public ministry and ordered him to a life of prayer and penitence. 

Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre: In 1988, then-Cardinal Ratzinger was directly involved in the canonical proceedings that led to the excommunication of Lefebvre and several other schismatic priests for illicitly ordaining bishops.

Lawrence Murphy: The American priest who abused deaf boys in Wisconsin was notably not defrocked, and records indicated Cardinal Ratzinger delayed or declined action. 

Stephen Kiesle: Documents have shown Cardinal Ratzinger explicitly stalled pleas to defrock this abuser in the 1980s, citing "the good of the universal church"

Bavarian Priests: Investigations into the Munich Archdiocese during Ratzinger's time as Archbishop revealed he allowed certain accused priests to continue in pastoral ministry.