Adobe has announced that it will cut off access to Photoshop and other software in Venezuela as part of compliance with the US sanctions.
The software company Adobe will only give users in Venezuela access to Photoshop and other software until October 28 to download content and all accounts will be deactivated thereafter. This follows US President Donald Trump's decision to ban all trade with the country in August in order to increase pressure on President Nicolas Maduro to resign from his post.
On its website, the company stated: "The US government issued executive order 13884, the practical effect of which is to prohibit almost all transactions and services between US companies, entities and individuals to Venezuela. To remain compliant with this order, Adobe is deactivating all accounts in Venezuela."
Adobe added that it has no information on how long the sanctions will be implemented, saying: "We will continue to monitor developments closely and will make every effort to restore services to Venezuela as soon as it is legally permissible to do so." The statement also specified that the company "was unable to issue refunds" because the sanctions included "sales, service, support, refunds, credits, etc".
For the latest versions of its products, Adobe has offered a subscription-only service, which meant that users will not be able to purchase standalone versions of the product.
Geoff Ramsey, a human rights advocate in the region expressed his disappointment in a tweet saying: "Incredibly counterproductive. Any civil society NGO [non-governmental organisation] or independent media outlet that relies on registered copies of Photoshop, InDesign or Acrobat will be impacted."
The US and over 50 countries do not recognize the legitimacy of Maduro's presidency in Venezuela. The US sanctions freeze all assets by the Venezuelan government in the US and transactions with the country are prohibited.
However. UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, a former president of Chile, argued that the sanctions were too broad and would impact the most vulnerable sections of society.
