What makes good literature "world" or "universal" literature?

I'm from Argentina. I know that Borges is universal, but our national poem, Martin Fierro, isn't. Both are examples of great literature. I wouldn't say that Martin Fierro falls short of being universal, it really wasn't trying to be. I wouldn't say it is too national (?) or regionalist either. The poem is about universal themes like injustice, loneliness, revenge, violence, etc. Maybe a narrative poem like Martin Fierro isn't the best example since poetry is the most difficult genre to translate. Yet there are universal poets...

If you're from a non-English speaking country I'm sure you are aware of some books, music, movies or whatever that are only popular in your country and barely anywhere else. Yet there may be one or two books or movies that are known abroad. So what makes them different from those that aren't? What is the "universal" appeal that, maybe unknowingly, they cater to? Because as I was trying to say with my first example, I don't think it just has to do with quality. Is it maybe that universal literature is able to speak to people independently from where they are from? Is it a question of cultural hegemony and if the hegemon switches we may get a different kind of "universal" literature?