Results of Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	$ 372,967	$ 346,313
Provision for loan losses	73,072	223,856
Non interest Income	106,565	34,057
Amortization of intangibles	2,504	2,468
Depreciation expense	11,965	12,254
Other operating expenses	282,318	318,976
Income tax expense	23,264	(56,877)
Net Income	86,409	(120,307)
Assets	36,744,162		35,749,333
Banco Popular De Puerto Rico [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	327,870	305,028
Provision for loan losses	79,837	221,885
Non interest Income	68,089	16,377
Amortization of intangibles	1,824	1,788
Depreciation expense	9,498	9,766
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0
Other operating expenses	209,839	249,635
Income tax expense	29,943	(52,865)
Net Income	65,018	(108,804)
Assets	27,734,350
Banco Popular De Puerto Rico [Member] | Commercial Banking [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	136,460	113,803
Provision for loan losses	31,189	145,773
Non interest Income	7,684	(65,227)
Amortization of intangibles	1	1
Depreciation expense	3,899	3,976
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0
Other operating expenses	56,439	78,833
Income tax expense	18,008	(55,651)
Net Income	34,608	(124,356)
Assets	10,867,418
Banco Popular De Puerto Rico [Member] | Consumer And Retail Banking [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	188,677	189,153
Provision for loan losses	48,648	76,112
Non interest Income	37,979	58,218
Amortization of intangibles	1,709	1,709
Depreciation expense	5,312	5,491
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0
Other operating expenses	137,601	154,285
Income tax expense	8,828	678
Net Income	24,558	9,096
Assets	18,459,906
Banco Popular De Puerto Rico [Member] | Other Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	2,733	2,072
Provision for loan losses	0	0
Non interest Income	22,444	23,402
Amortization of intangibles	114	78
Depreciation expense	287	299
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0
Other operating expenses	15,817	16,533
Income tax expense	3,107	2,108
Net Income	5,852	6,456
Assets	997,506
Banco Popular De Puerto Rico [Member] | Consolidation Eliminations Member
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	0	0
Provision for loan losses	0	0
Non interest Income	(18)	(16)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0
Other operating expenses	(18)	(16)
Income tax expense	0	0
Net Income	0	0
Assets	(2,590,480)
Banco Popular North America [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	73,227	68,018
Provision for loan losses	(6,557)	2,011
Non interest Income	21,135	10,071
Amortization of intangibles	680	680
Depreciation expense	2,310	2,325
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0
Other operating expenses	56,113	54,847
Income tax expense	846	936
Net Income	40,970	17,290
Assets	8,792,790
Banco Popular North America [Member] | Consolidation Eliminations Member
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	0	0
Provision for loan losses	0	0
Non interest Income	0	0
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		0
Other operating expenses	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0
Net Income	0	0
Assets	(1,008,408)
Banco Popular North America [Member] | Popular Community Bank [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	72,542	67,117
Provision for loan losses	(6,772)	2,282
Non interest Income	21,026	11,209
Amortization of intangibles	680	680
Depreciation expense	2,310	2,325
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		0
Other operating expenses	55,579	54,168
Income tax expense	846	936
Net Income	40,925	17,935
Assets	9,514,288
Banco Popular North America [Member] | E Loan Inc [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	685	901
Provision for loan losses	215	(271)
Non interest Income	109	(1,138)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		0
Other operating expenses	534	679
Income tax expense	0	0
Net Income	45	(645)
Assets	286,910
Business Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	0	0
Provision for loan losses	0	0
Non interest Income	0	0
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0
Other operating expenses	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0
Net Income	0	0
Assets	(13,717)
Reportable Segments Member
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	401,097	373,046
Provision for loan losses	73,280	223,896
Non interest Income	89,224	26,448
Amortization of intangibles	2,504	2,468
Depreciation expense	11,808	12,091
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0
Other operating expenses	265,952	304,482
Income tax expense	30,789	(51,929)
Net Income	105,988	(91,514)
Assets	36,513,423
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	(28,130)	(26,733)
Provision for loan losses	(208)	(40)
Non interest Income	17,408	7,672
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation expense	157	163
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0
Other operating expenses	17,076	15,172
Income tax expense	(7,776)	(5,133)
Net Income	(19,971)	(29,223)
Assets	5,448,958
Consolidation Eliminations Member
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income	0	0
Provision for loan losses	0	0
Non interest Income	(67)	(63)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation expense	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0
Other operating expenses	(710)	(678)
Income tax expense	251	185
Net Income	392	430
Assets	$ (5,218,219)