Oreja is highly regarded by Spaniards for leading the government's hardline fight against Basque nationalism and ETA violence.
CNN: Basque voters urged to reject ETA
2.
With Oreja Pedraza's death, ETA is now blamed for killing 35 people since the group ended a 14-month cease-fire in January 2000.
CNN: General dies from ETA blast injuries
3.
Mr Mayor Oreja, his interior minister, has his eye on the job of president of the Basque region, a post which, since its creation after the death of Franco, has always been held by a nationalist.