You can thank Chavez for this whole thing. One of Bush's worst decisions - actually, one of Colin Powell's worst decisions - was not to let the Venezuelan generals who had Chavez at the airport after the attempted rebellion either shoot him or fly him off to exile in some place like Antarctica.
He'll be causing or aiding and abetting trouble throughout Latin America as long as he's alive.
I'm afraid you're right. Things seem to be quiet since the referendum, I think its starting to really sink in that he is not leaving office alive. That takes a lot of the wind out of the hoopla, since any action taken now must be thought through in deadly seriousness. Either that, or get ready to keep your head down for the next couple of decades.
Its gut check time in Venezuela, and I wouldn't presume to tell them what to do about it. In the words of the immortal philosopher, "this ain't no disco".