Changes in the Allowance for Loan Losses and the Loan Balance by Portfolio Segments (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	$ 736,505		$ 793,225
Charge-offs	(171,849)		(342,950)
Recoveries	37,874		63,129
Recoveries related to loans transferred to LHFS			13,807
Provision	144,317		219,636
Balance at end of period	746,847		746,847
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	25,274,269	[1]	25,274,269	[1]	25,564,917	[2]
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | PUERTO RICO | Commercial
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	7,704		7,704
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	219,429		219,429
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	346,893		346,893
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	6,056,048		6,056,048
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | Commercial
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	7,755		7,755
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	404,010		404,010
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	486,007		486,007
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	10,250,326		10,250,326
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | Commercial | UNITED STATES
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	51		51
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	184,581		184,581
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	139,114		139,114
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	4,194,278		4,194,278
Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC | PUERTO RICO | Commercial
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	1,000		1,000
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	46,829		46,829
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	3,626		3,626
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	2,592,139		2,592,139
Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC | Commercial
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	1,000		1,000
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	46,829		46,829
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	3,626		3,626
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	2,592,139		2,592,139
PUERTO RICO | Commercial
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	221,149		256,643
Charge-offs	(57,290)		(105,029)
Recoveries	7,104		14,608
Provision	103,999		108,740
Balance at end of period	274,962		274,962
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	8,998,706		8,998,706
Commercial
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	409,775		462,391
Charge-offs	(101,045)		(187,041)
Recoveries	18,854		31,317
Provision	132,010		152,927
Balance at end of period	459,594		459,594
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	13,332,098		13,332,098
Commercial | UNITED STATES
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	188,626		205,748
Charge-offs	(43,755)		(82,012)
Recoveries	11,750		16,709
Provision	28,011		44,187
Balance at end of period	184,632		184,632
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	4,333,392		4,333,392
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | PUERTO RICO | Construction
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	116		116
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	6,957		6,957
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	65,885		65,885
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	96,156		96,156
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | Construction
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	386		386
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	19,399		19,399
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	393,759		393,759		500,851
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	199,919		199,919
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	193,840		193,840
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | Construction | UNITED STATES
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	270		270
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	12,442		12,442
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	134,034		134,034
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	97,684		97,684
Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC | PUERTO RICO | Construction
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	9,291		9,291
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	645,160		645,160
Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC | Construction
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	9,291		9,291
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	645,160		645,160		640,492
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	645,160		645,160
PUERTO RICO | Construction
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	18,372		16,074
Charge-offs	(283)		(14,382)
Recoveries	6,227		7,960
Provision	(7,952)		6,712
Balance at end of period	16,364		16,364
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	807,201		807,201
Construction
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	46,138		47,724
Charge-offs	(7,105)		(26,637)
Recoveries	8,461		10,480
Provision	(18,418)		(2,491)
Balance at end of period	29,076		29,076
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	1,038,919		1,038,919		1,141,343
Construction | UNITED STATES
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	27,766		31,650
Charge-offs	(6,822)		(12,255)
Recoveries	2,234		2,520
Provision	(10,466)		(9,203)
Balance at end of period	12,712		12,712
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	231,718		231,718
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | PUERTO RICO | Mortgages
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	8,226		8,226
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	46,914		46,914
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	195,650		195,650
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	4,305,288		4,305,288
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | Mortgages
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	11,665		11,665
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	66,307		66,307
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	5,347,512		5,347,512		4,524,722
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	205,753		205,753
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	5,141,759		5,141,759
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | Mortgages | UNITED STATES
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	3,439		3,439
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	19,393		19,393
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	10,103		10,103
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	836,471		836,471
Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC | PUERTO RICO | Mortgages
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	35		35
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	1,238,228		1,238,228
Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC | Mortgages
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	35		35
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	1,238,228		1,238,228		1,259,459
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	1,238,228		1,238,228
PUERTO RICO | Mortgages
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	55,926		42,029
Charge-offs	(7,166)		(15,370)
Recoveries	15		542
Provision	6,400		27,974
Balance at end of period	55,175		55,175
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	5,739,166		5,739,166
Mortgages
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	80,169		70,868
Charge-offs	(12,162)		(21,724)
Recoveries	981		2,296
Recoveries related to loans transferred to LHFS			13,807
Provision	9,019		12,760
Balance at end of period	78,007		78,007
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	6,585,740		6,585,740		5,784,181
Mortgages | UNITED STATES
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	24,243		28,839
Charge-offs	(4,996)		(6,354)
Recoveries	966		1,754
Recoveries related to loans transferred to LHFS			13,807
Provision	2,619		(15,214)
Balance at end of period	22,832		22,832
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	846,574		846,574
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | PUERTO RICO | Leasing
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	5,045		5,045
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	564,289		564,289
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | Leasing
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	5,770		5,770
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	586,056		586,056		602,993
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	586,056		586,056
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | Leasing | UNITED STATES
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	725		725
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	21,767		21,767
PUERTO RICO | Leasing
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	6,608		7,154
Charge-offs	(1,510)		(3,456)
Recoveries	878		1,645
Provision	(931)		(298)
Balance at end of period	5,045		5,045
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	564,289		564,289
Leasing
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	10,343		13,153
Charge-offs	(1,801)		(4,075)
Recoveries	1,044		2,087
Provision	(3,816)		(5,395)
Balance at end of period	5,770		5,770
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	586,056		586,056		602,993
Leasing | UNITED STATES
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	3,735		5,999
Charge-offs	(291)		(619)
Recoveries	166		442
Provision	(2,885)		(5,097)
Balance at end of period	725		725
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	21,767		21,767
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | PUERTO RICO | Consumer
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	120,512		120,512
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	2,846,428		2,846,428
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | Consumer
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	174,386		174,386
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	3,594,034		3,594,034
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | Consumer | UNITED STATES
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	53,874		53,874
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	747,606		747,606
Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC | PUERTO RICO | Consumer
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	14		14
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	137,422		137,422
Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC | Consumer
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	14		14
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	137,422		137,422		169,750
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	137,422		137,422
PUERTO RICO | Consumer
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	130,415		133,531
Charge-offs	(34,475)		(70,298)
Recoveries	6,780		13,843
Provision	17,806		43,450
Balance at end of period	120,526		120,526
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	2,983,850		2,983,850
Consumer
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	190,080		199,089
Charge-offs	(49,736)		(103,473)
Recoveries	8,534		16,949
Provision	25,522		61,835
Balance at end of period	174,400		174,400
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	3,731,456		3,731,456
Consumer | UNITED STATES
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	59,665		65,558
Charge-offs	(15,261)		(33,175)
Recoveries	1,754		3,106
Provision	7,716		18,385
Balance at end of period	53,874		53,874
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	747,606		747,606
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | PUERTO RICO
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	16,046		16,046
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	398,857		398,857
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	608,428		608,428
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	13,868,209		13,868,209
Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC | PUERTO RICO
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	1,000		1,000
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	56,169		56,169
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	3,626		3,626
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	4,612,949		4,612,949
PUERTO RICO
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	432,470		455,431
Charge-offs	(100,724)		(208,535)
Recoveries	21,004		38,598
Provision	119,322		186,578
Balance at end of period	472,072		472,072
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	19,093,212		19,093,212
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC | UNITED STATES
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	3,760		3,760
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	271,015		271,015
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	283,251		283,251
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	5,897,806		5,897,806
UNITED STATES
Allowance for credit losses:
Balance at beginning of period	304,035		337,794
Charge-offs	(71,125)		(134,415)
Recoveries	16,870		24,531
Recoveries related to loans transferred to LHFS			13,807
Provision	24,995		33,058
Balance at end of period	274,775		274,775
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	6,181,057		6,181,057
Non Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	19,806		19,806
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	669,872		669,872
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	20,657,694	[1]	20,657,694	[1]	20,728,035	[2]
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	891,679		891,679
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	19,766,015		19,766,015
Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
Allowance for credit losses:
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	1,000		1,000
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	56,169		56,169
Loans held-in-portfolio:
Ending balance - Total	4,616,575	[1]	4,616,575	[1]	4,836,882	[2]
Ending balance: loans individually evaluated for impairment	3,626		3,626
Ending balance: loans collectively evaluated for impairment	$ 4,612,949		$ 4,612,949

[1] Loans held-in-portfolio at June 30, 2011 are net of $ 104 million in unearned income and exclude $ 509 million in loans held-for-sale.

[2] Loans held-in-portfolio at December 31, 2010 are net of $106 million in unearned income and exclude $894 million in loans held-for-sale.