Average Recorded Investment and Interest Income Recognized on Impaired Loans (Detail) (Non Covered Loans, USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	$ 860,127	$ 1,747,025	$ 839,584	$ 1,236,004
Interest Income Recognized	3,708	4,769	7,056	9,232
PUERTO RICO
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	567,778		544,348
Interest Income Recognized	3,043		5,927
PUERTO RICO | Commercial real estate
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	244,152		236,199
Interest Income Recognized	625		1,294
PUERTO RICO | Commercial and Industrial
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	91,832		91,317
Interest Income Recognized	326		578
PUERTO RICO | Construction
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	61,246		62,730
Interest Income Recognized			49
PUERTO RICO | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	168,735		152,893
Interest Income Recognized	2,092		4,006
PUERTO RICO | Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	1,813		1,209
Commercial real estate | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	102,012		101,960
Interest Income Recognized	354		449
Commercial and Industrial | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	35,022		34,525
Interest Income Recognized	180		397
Construction | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	147,660		153,648
Interest Income Recognized			152
Mortgages | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	7,655		5,103
Interest Income Recognized	131		131
UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	292,349		295,236
Interest Income Recognized	665		1,129
Commercial real estate
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	346,164		338,159
Interest Income Recognized	979		1,743
Commercial and Industrial
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	126,854		125,842
Interest Income Recognized	506		975
Construction
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	208,906		216,378
Interest Income Recognized			201
Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	176,390		157,996
Interest Income Recognized	2,223		4,137
Covered under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Average Recorded Investment	$ 1,813		$ 1,209