Exhibit 23(a)


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                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated February 28, 2003 relating to the
financial statements, which appears in the 2002 Financial Review and
Supplementary Information to Stockholders of Popular, Inc., which is
incorporated by reference in Popular, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2002. We also consent to the reference to us under the
heading "Experts" in such Registration Statement.


/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
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PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP


San Juan, Puerto Rico
December 3, 2003