NEW PERSPECTIVES ON THE OPEN SKIES TREATY: AN ANALYSIS OF ITS ROLE IN COMBATING TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS AND TERRORISMTÍTULO

Abstract

The Treaty on Open Skies, signed in 1992 and in force since 2002, constitutes one of the most relevant multilateral instruments aimed at promoting military transparency and mutual confidence among signatory states. Its central objective is to allow unarmed observation flights over the territories of participating countries, creating an institutionalized verification mechanism that reduces strategic uncertainties and strengthens cooperative security. The initiative, conceived in the post-Cold War context, sought to transform surveillance practices into legitimate monitoring instruments, avoiding hostile perceptions and contributing to the protection of signatory territories and to international stability. However, the implementation of the Treaty faced growing difficulties related to technological developments, disputes over the use of collected imagery, and allegations of violations by certain states. These tensions culminated in the withdrawal of the United States in 2020 and Russia in 2021, two key actors in the international security architecture. The departure of these powers weakened the agreement's practical scope and highlighted the limitations of multilateral cooperation in a context marked by strategic rivalries and the erosion of arms control regimes. Within this context, this study contributes to an understanding of the tension between international norms, International Relations theories, and the logic of power. Although the Treaty on Open Skies was not originally designed to combat terrorism or transnational criminal organizations, its mechanisms of observation, transparency, and information exchange may offer complementary value for international cooperation in addressing these threats, provided that its legal, technical, and operational limitations are taken into account.