Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz named Nancy Pelosi “Honorary President of the Republic of the Rio Grande” on Friday, presenting her with keys to the city.

The faux bestowment came in the midst of a press conference and ceremony which was highly critical of President Trump’s move to declare a national emergency and build a wall along the southern border.

The Republic of the Rio Grande was an independent nation established in Northern Mexico by insurgents for a brief period in 1840.

“While the Republic was short-lived, ten months in all, we still have that spirit of freedom,” Saenz, a Democrat, explained. “So, it’s my honor, Madam Speaker, to present to you the keys of our city but also to be the honorary president of the Republic of the Rio Grande.”

Pelosi Thrilled

The Speaker of the House seemed quite pleased with the ceremonial move by Saenz, declaring: “I love that.”

“I can’t even imagine anything so wonderful. Look at this. Hey, we have a woman president,” Pelosi said after the announcement.

Laredo, TX Mayor Pete Saenz just now made @SpeakerPelosi an “Honorary president of the Republic of the Rio Grande.”

Pelosi, beaming: “Hey, they have a woman president!” — Michael Mathes (@MichaelMathes) February 22, 2019

Pelosi would call being named the president of something “unfathomable,” adding that she would prominently display the proclamation in her office with “great pride.”

Speaker Nancy Pelosi was appointed the president of the Rio Grande during a ceremony on Friday. https://t.co/w8YVX6GPwY — NTK Network (@NTKNet) February 24, 2019

Pelosi Blasts Trump’s ‘Emergency’

Pelosi slammed Trump over his national emergency proclamation, asserting that since the President “decided that he imagined or whatever, had the mythology of a crisis at the border, we say come see the reality of what happens here.”

“It has no merit in terms of effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and does not support the values of our country by building walls between countries rather than smart border security where there needs to be more roads, more infrastructure, and the rest,” she added.

Perhaps she should have spoken with people knowledgeable of the situation in the territory she just became ‘President’ of.

Yesterday, we spoke to a REAL border EXPERT. @CBPRGV Chief Raul Ortiz overseas 500+ miles of border—and says walls work, and he needs at least 100+ more miles of wall. Catch our interview w/ him all morning on @foxandfriends. (Meanwhile, FAKE experts made fools of themselves…) pic.twitter.com/TO2zkdwNXg — Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) January 11, 2019

Acting Chief of the Rio Grande Valley Sector of the Border Patrol, Raul Ortiz, said that 96 percent of illegal immigrant traffic through his area comes in portions that do not have a fence.

Ortiz ripped so-called ‘experts’ and lawmakers who don’t think border security is essential.

“What I say to anyone who says we don’t need those things?” he said. “Come walk in my shoes.”