Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 120,817	$ (129,544)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	23,450	30,759
Provision for loan losses	219,636	442,458
Amortization of intangibles	4,510	4,504
Impairment losses on net assets to be disposed of	8,743
Fair value adjustments of mortgage servicing rights	16,249	9,577
Net (accretion of discounts) amortization of premiums and deferred fees	(64,498)	(52,119)
Net gain on sale and valuation adjustment of investment securities	90	(478)
Fair value change in equity appreciation instrument	(8,323)	(24,394)
FDIC loss share (income) expense	(54,705)	15,037
FDIC deposit insurance expense	45,355	32,711
Net gain on disposition of premises and equipment	(1,992)	(2,071)
Net loss (gain) on sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held for sale	5,538	(10,146)
Adjustments (expense) to indemnity reserves on loans sold	19,302	31,679
(Earnings) losses from investments under the equity method	218	(14,513)
Gain on sale of equity method investment	(16,907)
Net disbursements on loans held-for-sale	(417,220)	(312,489)
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale	(173,549)	(133,798)
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale	65,667	35,867
Net decrease in trading securities	319,024	396,940
Net (increase) decrease in accrued income receivable	8,676	10,729
Net (increase) decrease in other assets	(16,965)	(1,346)
Net (decrease) increase in interest payable	(949)	(17,566)
Deferred income taxes	21,755	(8,503)
Net decrease in pension and other postretirement benefit obligations	(123,084)	1,627
Net (decrease) increase in other liabilities	(65,383)	(12,028)
Total adjustments	(185,362)	422,437
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(64,545)	292,893
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net decrease (increase) in money market investments	(404,598)	(1,344,614)
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	(856,543)	(542,506)
Held-to-maturity	(64,358)	(37,131)
Other	(69,504)	(13,076)
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	707,567	818,380
Held-to-maturity	52,073	40,716
Other	56,162	83,272
Proceeds from sale of investment securities available for sale	19,143	19,484
Proceeds from sale of other investment securities	2,294
Net repayments on loans	779,606	1,024,846
Proceeds from sale of loans	225,698	10,878
Acquisition of loan portfolios	(744,390)	(87,471)
Net proceeds from sale of equity method investments	31,503
Cash received from acquisitions		261,311
Mortgage servicing rights purchased	(860)	(364)
Acquisition of premises and equipment	(25,548)	(27,161)
Proceeds from sale of premises and equipment	9,847	9,626
Proceeds from sale of foreclosed assets	94,759	69,058
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(187,149)	285,248
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net decrease in deposits	1,198,252	(1,202,219)
Net decrease in federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase	157,772	(325,596)
Net (decrease) increase in other short-term borrowings	(212,920)	(6,063)
Payments of notes payable	(1,177,306)	(189,780)
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable	419,500	111,101
Dividends paid	(1,861)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	3,917
Net proceeds from issuance of depository shares		1,102,358
Treasury stock acquired	(68)	(503)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	387,286	(510,702)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	135,592	67,439
Cash and due from banks at beginning of period	452,373	677,330
Cash and due from banks at end of period	587,965	744,769
Popular, Inc. Holding Co.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	120,817	(129,544)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	(146,763)	175,806
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	395	389
Net (accretion of discounts) amortization of premiums and deferred fees	12,015	10,216
Net gain on disposition of premises and equipment	(1)	23
(Earnings) losses from investments under the equity method	(12,619)	(1,216)
Gain on sale of equity method investment	(5,493)
Net (increase) decrease in accrued income receivable	252	(11)
Net (increase) decrease in other assets	(2,003)	(8,995)
Net (decrease) increase in interest payable	(3,467)	522
Deferred income taxes	4,198	(222)
Net (decrease) increase in other liabilities	(54,791)	(7,234)
Total adjustments	(208,277)	169,278
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(87,460)	39,734
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net decrease (increase) in money market investments	(62)
Purchases of investment securities:
Held-to-maturity	(37,093)	(26,927)
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Held-to-maturity	50,613	86,928
Net repayments on loans	184,638	(257,000)
Net proceeds from sale of equity method investments	(10,690)
Capital contribution to subsidiary		(845,000)
Acquisition of premises and equipment	(316)	(826)
Proceeds from sale of premises and equipment	11	156
Proceeds from sale of foreclosed assets		74
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	187,101	(1,042,595)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net (decrease) increase in other short-term borrowings		(22,725)
Payments of notes payable	(100,000)	(75,000)
Dividends paid	(1,861)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	3,917
Net proceeds from issuance of depository shares		1,100,740
Treasury stock acquired	(68)	(503)
Return of capital	1,514
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(96,498)	1,002,512
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	3,143	(349)
Cash and due from banks at beginning of period	1,638	1,174
Cash and due from banks at end of period	4,781	825
PIBI Holding Co.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	19,707	(158,675)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	(7,719)	176,118
Impairment losses on net assets to be disposed of	8,743
(Earnings) losses from investments under the equity method	(11,788)	(11,561)
Gain on sale of equity method investment	(11,414)
Net (increase) decrease in accrued income receivable	(9)	122
Net (increase) decrease in other assets	6,743	5,602
Deferred income taxes	1,356
Net (decrease) increase in other liabilities	(3,416)	1,798
Total adjustments	(17,504)	172,079
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	2,203	13,404
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net decrease (increase) in money market investments	(5,267)	50,241
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Held-to-maturity		250
Net repayments on loans	193
Net proceeds from sale of equity method investments	42,193
Capital contribution to subsidiary	(37,000)	(245,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	119	(194,509)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends paid to parent company		(63,900)
Return of capital	(1,514)
Capital contribution from parent		245,000
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(1,514)	181,100
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	808	(5)
Cash and due from banks at beginning of period	618	300
Cash and due from banks at end of period	1,426	295
PNA Holding Co.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	6,180	(169,981)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	(20,444)	152,994
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	2	2
Net (accretion of discounts) amortization of premiums and deferred fees	122	138
(Earnings) losses from investments under the equity method	(1,388)	1,474
Net (increase) decrease in accrued income receivable		21
Net (increase) decrease in other assets	1,201	1,703
Net (decrease) increase in interest payable	459	(54)
Net (decrease) increase in other liabilities	(2,334)	(1,539)
Total adjustments	(22,382)	154,739
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(16,202)	(15,242)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net decrease (increase) in money market investments	(1)	(61)
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Capital contribution to subsidiary		(245,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(1)	(245,061)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net (decrease) increase in other short-term borrowings	(19,100)	19,300
Payments of notes payable	(3,000)	(4,000)
Capital contribution from parent	37,000	245,000
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	14,900	260,300
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	(1,303)	(3)
Cash and due from banks at beginning of period	1,576	738
Cash and due from banks at end of period	273	735
All other subsidiaries and eliminations
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	148,637	(80,269)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	23,053	30,368
Provision for loan losses	219,636	442,458
Amortization of intangibles	4,510	4,504
Fair value adjustments of mortgage servicing rights	16,249	9,577
Net (accretion of discounts) amortization of premiums and deferred fees	(76,310)	(62,148)
Net gain on sale and valuation adjustment of investment securities	90	(478)
Fair value change in equity appreciation instrument	(8,323)	(24,394)
FDIC loss share (income) expense	(54,705)	15,037
FDIC deposit insurance expense	45,355	32,711
Net gain on disposition of premises and equipment	(1,991)	(2,094)
Net loss (gain) on sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held for sale	5,538	(10,146)
Adjustments (expense) to indemnity reserves on loans sold	19,302	31,679
(Earnings) losses from investments under the equity method		(2,355)
Net disbursements on loans held-for-sale	(417,220)	(312,489)
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale	(173,549)	(133,798)
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale	65,667	35,867
Net decrease in trading securities	319,024	396,940
Net (increase) decrease in accrued income receivable	8,499	10,712
Net (increase) decrease in other assets	7,103	9,487
Net (decrease) increase in interest payable	1,993	(18,149)
Deferred income taxes	15,900	(8,462)
Net decrease in pension and other postretirement benefit obligations	(123,084)	1,627
Net (decrease) increase in other liabilities	(7,871)	(14,729)
Total adjustments	(111,134)	431,725
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	37,503	351,456
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net decrease (increase) in money market investments	(404,519)	(1,344,605)
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	(856,543)	(542,506)
Held-to-maturity	(27,265)	(10,204)
Other	(69,504)	(13,076)
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	707,567	818,380
Held-to-maturity	1,460	13,538
Other	56,162	83,272
Proceeds from sale of investment securities available for sale	19,143	19,484
Proceeds from sale of other investment securities	2,294
Net repayments on loans	775,188	1,047,971
Proceeds from sale of loans	225,698	10,878
Acquisition of loan portfolios	(744,390)	(87,471)
Cash received from acquisitions		261,311
Mortgage servicing rights purchased	(860)	(364)
Acquisition of premises and equipment	(25,232)	(26,335)
Proceeds from sale of premises and equipment	9,836	9,470
Proceeds from sale of foreclosed assets	94,759	68,984
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(236,206)	308,727
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net decrease in deposits	1,204,005	(1,252,761)
Net decrease in federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase	157,772	(325,596)
Net (decrease) increase in other short-term borrowings	(371,820)	233,237
Payments of notes payable	(1,074,306)	(172,780)
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable	419,500	111,101
Dividends paid to parent company		(31,000)
Capital contribution from parent		845,000
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	335,151	(592,799)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	136,448	67,384
Cash and due from banks at beginning of period	451,723	677,606
Cash and due from banks at end of period	588,171	744,990
Elimination
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	(174,524)	408,925
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	174,926	(504,918)
Net (accretion of discounts) amortization of premiums and deferred fees	(325)	(325)
(Earnings) losses from investments under the equity method	26,013	(855)
Net (increase) decrease in accrued income receivable	(66)	(115)
Net (increase) decrease in other assets	(30,009)	(9,143)
Net (decrease) increase in interest payable	66	115
Deferred income taxes	301	181
Net (decrease) increase in other liabilities	3,029	9,676
Total adjustments	173,935	(505,384)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(589)	(96,459)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net decrease (increase) in money market investments	5,251	(50,189)
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Held-to-maturity		(60,000)
Net repayments on loans	(180,413)	233,875
Capital contribution to subsidiary	37,000	1,335,000
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(138,162)	1,458,686
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net decrease in deposits	(5,753)	50,542
Net (decrease) increase in other short-term borrowings	178,000	(235,875)
Payments of notes payable		62,000
Dividends paid to parent company		94,900
Net proceeds from issuance of depository shares		1,618
Capital contribution from parent	(37,000)	(1,335,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	135,247	(1,361,815)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	(3,504)	412
Cash and due from banks at beginning of period	(3,182)	(2,488)
Cash and due from banks at end of period	$ (6,686)	$ (2,076)