CARACAS—Venezuela's highest court said Wednesday that cancer-
stricken President Hugo Chávez didn't need to be sworn in before
the National Assembly on Thursday to start his new six-year
term, defusing for now a political crisis over the country's
leadership transition.  Supreme Court chief Luisa Estella
Morales said at a news conference that Mr. Chávez, who has been
recovering from surgery in Cuba for nearly a month, would be
sworn in before the Supreme Court after his health improves. But
Ms. Morales, a Chávez ally, couldn't specify "when, where or
how" that would occur.  Venezuela's Supreme Court said President
Hugo Chávez doesn't need to be sworn in to start his new six-
year term. EPA  In this WSJ documentary, reporter David Luhnow
looks at Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez. Now undergoing
treatment for cancer, Chavez has named a possible successor,
raising the question of whether his "21st century socialism" can
outlive its founder. Photo: AP  Ms. Morales said there was no
reason to declare the charismat