Raul Rivero in Cuban Prison

Unesco has awarded jailed Cuban poet and journalist Raul Rivero its World Press Freedom Award. It's good to see an agency of the U.N. take a stance against dictatorship. I'm also heartened that diplomats from several countries, including the U.K. and Spain along with the head of the U.S. Interest Section (as we have no diplomatic relations with Cuba), gathered at Mr. Rivero's home in Cuba to call attention to his detention. Castro charged Mr. Rivero and 75 others with collaboration with the U.S. and sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Among other things, Mr. Rivero's work appeared occasionally in American publications -- proof that he was in the pay of an enemy country, according to Castro's henchmen.

To boot, Cuba finds itself increasingly isolated among formerly friendly Latin countries (including Mexico) because of their April 15 U.N. vote to condemn Cuba's human rights abuses. Part of this isolation stems from the above-noted arrest of the 75 dissidents. Word is that later this week President Bush will announce new measures to force Castro's departure. A policy of encouraging the ousting of dictators is long overdue and needn't be unilateral, as current events demonstrate.