London ( CNN ) -- Former London mayor Ken Livingstone paid tribute to his `` friend and comrade '' Hugo Chavez , calling him the first Venezuelan president to `` put his people before the interests of American oil companies . '' Chavez , who died Tuesday , used some of Venezuela 's vast oil wealth to bankroll huge social programs for the poor during his 14-year presidency . Critics , on the other hand , say much of the country 's oil riches were squandered by a corrupt administration more focused on consolidating political power than lifting people out of poverty . Livingstone , nicknamed `` Red Ken '' for his socialist leanings , struck a controversial deal in 2007 with Chavez to fuel London 's buses with discounted Venezuelan fuel , in exchange for advice on how to develop Venezuela 's urban infrastructure . While Livingstone used the £14 million ( $ 21m ) fuel discount to subsidize buses for the poor in London , his critics say the deal exploited and further impoverished the poor people of Venezuela . His successor , Boris Johnson , promptly cancelled the deal upon taking office in 2008 . Livingstone dismissed criticism of the deal , saying the advice he and his associates gave Venezuela would have cost `` hundreds of millions of pounds '' from the private sector , and insisting Chavez only ever had the interests of Venezuelans in mind . `` It 's very few world leaders who remain unchanged , '' Livingstone told CNN . `` And it 's hard to think of anyone who has been in power that long who 's carried on looking after the ordinary population rather than enriching themselves . '' The former mayor first met Chavez during the Venezuelan leader 's 2006 visit to London and said Chavez 's offer of discounted oil for advice was characteristic of a man who saw himself as more than just the president of Venezuela . He said : `` Chavez saw clearly that his job was to look out for the people of Venezuela , but he also saw that it was a global struggle between the great corporations and the vast mass of the people who get screwed by them . '' Livingstone , who would end up travelling to Caracas in 2008 to deliver the advice he promised as part of the oil deal , was taken aback by the `` proper welfare state '' Chavez had created through his initiatives . `` I found it amazing the number of 40-year-olds wandering around with braces on their teeth , because there had n't been a dentist when they were a kid , '' he said . `` There were little old ladies carrying around copies of the constitution which they could read , because [ under Chavez ] everyone got access to literacy programs . '' Calling him a `` pleasure to be with , '' Livingstone said Chavez told him he never planned on being a politician - and that Chavez only became more radical following the failed 2002 coup attempt , which he blamed on the U.S . The coup fell apart within 48 hours and `` El Comandante , '' as he is affectionately known in Venezuela , was restored to office . Livingstone , who called Chavez a man with great tales , says the South American leader 's `` best story '' was his version of events during the coup . Livingstone said Chavez told him that the generals who sprung the coup did n't want to kill the president themselves , so Chavez claimed three Americans whom he did not identify were flown in to kill him instead . `` Chavez told me that the three Americans were ushered into the room where a sergeant with a machine gun was guarding him . And the sergeant , who was n't stupid , realized that after they killed Chavez they 'd kill him as a witness . And so he turned his gun on the three men and said 'you leave the room or I 'll kill you ' , '' Livingstone told CNN . A State Department official categorically denied Chavez 's `` ridiculous '' claim and told CNN the U.S. had in fact alerted Chavez to a `` credible assassination plot '' on his life in the days before the coup . Souring U.S.-Venezuela relations reached their nadir when Chavez called George W. Bush `` the devil '' in a speech in front of the United Nations General Assembly . WATCH : Chavez calls Bush `` the devil '' at U.N. `` Coming so close to death [ in 2002 ] really pushed Chavez to the left , '' Livingstone said . `` If you think George W. Bush has authorized your assassination , you 're not going to be very friendly about the U.S. after that . ''
Livingstone calls Chavez 's death a ` ` sad thing , '' calls him a ` ` friend and comrade '' Ex - mayor of London signed controversial deal for discounted Venezuelan fuel in 2007 . Livingstone agreed to advise him in exchange for £ ##5 million fuel discount . Ex - mayor : ' ' differences between ` ` corporations and people who get screwed by them ''