Note Income taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets Net		$ 1,217,549	$ 1,243,668
Unrecognized Tax Benefits Interest On Income Taxes Accrued		3,000	2,900
Unrecognized Tax Benefits That Would Impact Effective Tax Rate		9,300	9,000
Significant Change In Unrecognized Tax Benefits Is Reasonably Possible Amount Of Unrecorded Benefit		4,900
Unrecognized Tax Benefits Current Interest On Income Taxes Accrued		145	1,200
Deferred Tax Liabilities		162,717	162,149
Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance		669,335	664,287
Deferred Tax Assets (Liabilities), Net		1,216,142	1,242,261
Other liabilities
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Liabilities		1,400	$ 1,400
PUERTO RICO
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets Net		697,000
UNITED STATES
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets Net		520,000
Income Tax Reconciliation Change in Deferred Tax Asset	$ 589,000
Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance		617,000
Deferred Tax Assets		1,100,000
Popular, Inc. Holding Co. | PUERTO RICO
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance		$ 52,000