Venezuela designers turn to piracy after Adobe announces it will cut service
Adobe
Venezuelans desperately exploredpiracyworkarounds on Tuesday to continue usingAdobeprogramsafterthe software developer said it willcutaccess to its products for the country's users, citing USsanctions.
Critics said the move demonstrated the unintended consequences of the policies of USPresident Donald Trump's administration.
San Jose, California-basedAdobeInc, whose products like Photoshop and InDesign are widely used bydesigners, illustrators and digital marketers, said on Monday it was "deactivating all accounts inVenezuela" to comply with the sanctions, which are part of Washington's effort to oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro.
A slew ofVenezuelan creative professionals took to social media to argue thatAdobe's move would have a devastating impact on freelancedesignersand marketers, who are already struggling with a hyperinflationary economic collapse.
Gremiana Gonzalez, a graphic design student at the University of the Andes in western Merida state, offered instructions on Twitter on how to "crack any app in the Creative Cloud," referring toAdobe's collection of programs.
"In a way it goes against my principles because I am not completely in agreement withpiracy, but in these circumstances either you use pirated software or you don't eat," Gonzalez said in a text message. "I know that just like me, manyVenezuelans depend completely on freelancing, andAdobe's suite is the most widely-used, best-acclaimed and easiest to access."
)
Pentagon revives mandatory testosterone testing for male troops aged 30 and above
)
FACT CHECK: Why did PM Modi ask Xi ‘is it okay’ at BRICS Summit? New video reveals...
)
India seeks to build a full semiconductor supply chain
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
From Abhishek Sharma to Sahil Chauhan, 5 batters with fastest T20I hundreds
)
Pyongyang dismisses US, western pressure over nuclear programme
)
US And Denmark reach Greenland deal, Trump announces expanded military presence
)
Google’s Gemini AI hacks real systems by guessing passwords during security test
)
US hiding troop deaths in Iran war? Toll higher than Pentagon count, claims report
)
China may have gained access to US's classified F-35 jets; parts meant for repairs diverted to Hong Kong, sparking Pentagon inquiry
)
NASA research plane reaches 61,000 feet over Panama
)
Godfather of AI Geoffrey Hinton gives US lawmakers a one-year warning on AI
)
Trump signs Russia sanctions law: India faces fresh 100% tariff threat over Russian oil
)
Brigitte Bardot’s private collection set for Paris auction; key items and prices revealed
)
Why Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar missed India’s Oscar entry; FFI jury member reveals what happened
)
Zendaya and Tom Holland step out for a low-key date in Los Angeles
)
‘Will go to any extent’: Pakistan vows to defend Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks
)
The Verdict | When precision fails: US commits war crime in Minab school strike, UN finds
)
Trump signs Russia sanctions bill into law, targets Moscow’s energy sector
66 years of the Indus Waters Treaty: How India and Pakistan settled a bitter river dispute
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (September 18, 2026): Lust Stories 3, You+Me, Best of the Best- 8 new titles coming on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Pak: A series of counter terrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
)
Fast bowler Brydon Carse faces no charges over Derby nightclub incident
)
Flying cars in UAE: Ras Al Khaimah signs deal with Chinese company to test new transport
)
Africa is splitting, and a lot sooner than estimated, giving way to a new ocean
)
Trump bans CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House over ‘FAKE NEWS’
)
Trump 2.0: Dark days ahead for America’s ‘imperial presidency’
)
Trump's Greenland dream comes true? POTUS announces 'Infinite Life' deal with Denmark, claims permanent US control
)
Tirupati Laddu ghee adulterated with chemicals, says ED, supplier arrested
)
Who is Khalilur Rahman? All you need to know about 81st UN General Assembly President
)
IIT Bombay student dies by suicide, was caught seeking AI help during exams
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet top 5 bowlers in latest ICC T20I rankings
)
Indian Cinema bets big on mythology, brings ancient stories to modern audiences
)
Ukraine plans record $109 bn defence spending, nearly two thirds of budget amid Russia war
)
Russia holds first parliamentary elections since the beginning of the Ukraine war
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet top 5 Indian batters with fastest T20I centuries
)
Adobesaid its software will stop working inVenezuelaon Oct 28.
Critics of USpolicy towardsVenezuelapointed toAdobe's announcement as the latest example of how the Trump administration's steady escalation of sanctions has hurt ordinary people without succeeding in ousting Maduro, who is accused of corruption and human rights violations.
Washington in January slapped sanctions on state oil company PDVSA, the lifeblood ofVenezuela's economy, and has sanctioned dozens of top government officials.
In August, it froze allVenezuelan state assets in the United States and threatened sanctions on any company continuing to do business with the government.Adobecited that measure in a statement announcing the decision on Monday.
A spokesman for the USTreasury Department, which implements sanctions, said Treasury had "an active sanctions programme inVenezuelaaimed at depriving resources from the illegitimate Maduro regime."
The spokesman referred comment on a private company's individual compliance toAdobe.Adobedid not respond to a request for comment.
Francisco Rodriguez, a prominentVenezuelan economist who has launched a nonprofit to help alleviate the OPEC nation's humanitarian crisis, circulated a petition requesting the USTreasury Department to issue a license exempting softwareserviceproviders from the sanctions.
"Adobe's decision to suspendservices inVenezuelahas revived the debate over the impact of sanctions," Rodriguez wrote on Twitter. "But maybe we are leaving aside the most relevant question: what can we due to mitigate the impact of these measures onVenezuelans?"