This op-ed is exactly right. Extract here (translated)
To stay outside such a traumatic and politically incorrect decision the government has passed the ball over to the population. If the referendum is positive for mining, the governor will say that “The majority decision must be respected”….if the decision is a negative Das Neves with his best “It wasn’t me” face will tell Macri, “Sorry Mau, I wanted it but the people said no”.
Full thing here. Go read it all, practice your Spanish and find out just why Chubut governor Mario das Neves is one of the most astute political animals in his country.