Male' city Mayor Adam Azim has deleted a social media post praising the "heroes" who helped change the government of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

The post was made on social media X on September 9, 2012. It was referring to the coup which forced Nasheed to resign in February 2012.

"Maldives saved by three brave heroes from Portuguese. It is a fact history repeats. Again three brave heroes saved from traitors," Azim wrote 13 years ago.

He tagged former Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz in the post. Azim's brother former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim and Riyaz led the mutiny.

The post was widely circulated on Tuesday before Azim deleted it. Many members of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have criticised the post.

Azim was not responding to phone calls when contacted to find out why he deleted the post.