The Venezuelan government considers that the construction sector is a strategic area. Therefore, it has used this argument to nationalize inputs and control the process to build houses. Both actions have had some effects: the production of materials has declined and there are fewer housing units for sale and for rent.

As a result of the rain emergency, Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez said that the process to build houses will go faster. He explained that a total of 6,900 tons of cement from Cuba will be imported, although the government controls 90 percent of the cement market. The reasons to purchase this input are a lower production capacity and the fact that many plants have been shut down for repair works.

Construction industry sources said that the supply of cement has been ensured only by Cementos Venezuela (former Cemex), which has a 45 percent market share.