EXHIBIT 23(a)


                      [PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LETTERHEAD]


            Consent Of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm


We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated February 27, 2004 relating to the
financial statements, which appears in the 2003 Annual Report to Shareholders,
which is incorporated by reference in Popular Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2003. We also consent to the references to us
under the heading "Experts" in such Registration Statement.


/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

San Juan, Puerto Rico
September 8, 2004