Local renormalizable gauge theories from nonlocal operators

The possibility that nonlocal operators might be added to the Yang-Mills action is investigated. We point out that there exists a class of nonlocal operators which lead to renormalizable gauge theories. These operators turn out to be localizable by means of the introduction of auxiliary fields. The renormalizability is thus ensured by the symmetry content exhibited by the resulting local theory. The example of the nonlocal operator Tr∫Aμ1D2Aμ is analyzed in detail. A few remarks on the possible role that these operators might have for confining theories are outlined.