More than 26,000 people have disappeared in the past six years in Mexico, the government said in releasing a list of the missing for the first time.
The list, released Tuesday, did not indicate how the people on it went missing, such as whether they were victims of drug cartels, migrated or were involved in family conflicts.
The list was compiled by former president Felipe Calderon of those who went missing during his administration. It was handed over in November to his successor, Enrique Pena Nieto.
Of the 26,121 cases, 5,206 are pending validation, said Lia Limon, undersecretary for legal affairs and human rights. They might involve double entries or other inconsistencies, she said.
Authorities would review each case on the list to determine how many are related to crime, Limon said.
Calderon made the fight against drug cartels a central policy during his 2006-12 tenure, but crime worsened. The new government estimated that 70,000 people died in the drug war during his administration.