Hoy reports that the IMF mission that was participating in talks concerning the government takeover of the EDEs electrical distribution companies have packed their bags and left “for consultations” in Washington. In diplomatic terms, this usually means that they are unhappy with the way things were going. Sources close to the IMF team said that if the group had been satisfied with the progress of negotiations, they would have left a note saying that the IMF supported the contracts for the buyback of the distributors. According to the IMF people, the contract to purchase Union Fenosa’s 50% shares in Edenorte and the Edesur violates the Letter of Intent and the Consensus of Washington. The letter of intent has three parts – fiscal equilibrium, privatization and tariff reforms.