Loans in Non-Performing Status and Accruing Loans Past-Due 90 Days or More by Loan Class (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands	Jun. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
PUERTO RICO | Non Covered Loans
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	$ 1,237,700	[1]	$ 1,111,503	[2]
Accruing loans past-due 90 days or more	312,265	[1]	327,343	[2]
PUERTO RICO | Non Covered Loans | Commercial real estate
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	411,478		370,677
PUERTO RICO | Non Covered Loans | Commercial and Industrial
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	145,943		114,792
PUERTO RICO | Non Covered Loans | Construction
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	58,691		64,678
PUERTO RICO | Non Covered Loans | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	583,231		518,446
Accruing loans past-due 90 days or more	286,588		292,387
PUERTO RICO | Non Covered Loans | Leasing
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	4,206		5,674
PUERTO RICO | Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Credit cards
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Accruing loans past-due 90 days or more	25,041		33,514
PUERTO RICO | Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Home equity lines of credit
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	123
PUERTO RICO | Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Personal
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	20,573		22,816
PUERTO RICO | Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Auto
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	5,086		7,528
PUERTO RICO | Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Other
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	8,369		6,892
Accruing loans past-due 90 days or more	636		1,442
Non Covered Loans
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	1,652,465	[1]	1,571,853	[2]
Accruing loans past-due 90 days or more	312,265	[1]	327,343	[2]
Non Covered Loans | Commercial real estate
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	587,189		553,133
Non Covered Loans | Commercial real estate | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	175,711		182,456
Non Covered Loans | Commercial and Industrial
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	197,398		171,894
Non Covered Loans | Commercial and Industrial | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	51,455		57,102
Non Covered Loans | Construction
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	198,235		238,554
Non Covered Loans | Construction | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	139,544		173,876
Non Covered Loans | Mortgages
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	615,762		542,033
Accruing loans past-due 90 days or more	286,588		292,387
Non Covered Loans | Mortgages | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	32,531		23,587
Non Covered Loans | Leasing
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	4,457		5,937
Non Covered Loans | Leasing | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	251		263
Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Credit cards
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Accruing loans past-due 90 days or more	25,041		33,514
Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Home equity lines of credit
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	13,551		17,562
Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Home equity lines of credit | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	13,428		17,562
Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Personal
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	21,728		28,185
Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Personal | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	1,155		5,369
Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Auto
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	5,156		7,663
Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Auto | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	70		135
Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Other
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	8,989		6,892
Accruing loans past-due 90 days or more	636		1,442
Non Covered Loans | Consumer | Other | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	620
Non Covered Loans | UNITED STATES
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	414,765	[1]	460,350	[2]
Consumer
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
Non-accrual loans	$ 49,000		$ 60,000

[1] For purposes of this table non-performing loans exclude $400 million in non-performing loans held-for-sale.

[2] For purposes of this table non-performing loans exclude $672 million in non-performing loans held-for-sale.