Note Fair value of financial instruments (Carrying or notional amounts and estimated fair values for financial instruments) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Jun. 30, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Financial Assets:
Cash And Due From Banks		$ 365,308		$ 363,674
Money market investments		2,785,500		2,180,092
Trading account securities, excluding derivatives		72,530		71,659
Available For Sale Securities		7,242,676	[1]	6,062,992	[2]
Investment securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost		99,525	[3]	100,903	[4]
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		81,469	[3]	82,889	[4]
Other investment securities
FDIC loss-share asset		214,029		310,221
Mortgage servicing rights		203,577		211,405		$ 206,357	$ 148,694
Derivatives		13,154		16,959
Deposits
Time deposits		7,954,746		8,165,368
Total deposits		28,737,856		27,209,723
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase		821,604		762,145
Notes payable:
Others		18,550		19,008
Notes Payable		1,575,948		1,662,508
Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Financial Assets:
Available For Sale Securities		25,635		22,359
Investment securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost		97,444		98,817
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		79,419		80,815
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Financial Assets:
Available For Sale Securities		1,438,721		1,560,837
Investment securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost		81		86
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		85		91
Other
Financial Assets:
Available For Sale Securities		9,940		10,233
Investment securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost		2,000		2,000
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		1,965		1,983
Level 1
Financial Assets:
Cash And Cash Equivalents Fair Value Disclosure		365,308		363,674
Money Market Investments Fair Value		2,687,458		2,083,839
Trading account securities, excluding derivatives	[5]	0		0
Available For Sale Securities	[5]	399		276
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		0		0
Other investment securities
FHLB Stock		0		0
FRB stock		0		0
Trust preferred securities		0		0
Other investments		0		0
Total other investment securities		0		0
Loans held-for-sale		0		0
F D I C Indemnification Asset Fair Value Portion		0		0
Mortgage servicing rights		0		0
Derivatives		0		0
Deposits
Demand deposits		0		0
Time deposits		0		0
Deposits		0		0
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase		0		0
Other short-term borrowings	[6]	0		0
Notes payable:
FHLB advances		0		0
Unsecured senior debt securities		0		0
Junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures		0		0
Others		0		0
Notes payable		0		0
Derivatives		0		0
Contingent consideration		0		0
Fair value Off balance sheet
Commitments to extend credit		0		0
Letters of credit		0		0
Level 1 | Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Financial Assets:
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		0		0
Level 1 | Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Financial Assets:
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		0		0
Level 1 | Other
Financial Assets:
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		0		0
Level 2
Financial Assets:
Cash And Cash Equivalents Fair Value Disclosure		0		0
Money Market Investments Fair Value		98,042		96,253
Trading account securities, excluding derivatives	[5]	65,127		62,687
Available For Sale Securities	[5]	7,240,879		6,061,282
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		1,744		1,740
Other investment securities
FHLB Stock		59,459		59,387
FRB stock		93,983		97,740
Trust preferred securities		13,198		13,198
Other investments		0		0
Total other investment securities		166,640		170,325
Loans held-for-sale		469		1,364
F D I C Indemnification Asset Fair Value Portion		0		0
Mortgage servicing rights		0		0
Derivatives		13,154		16,959
Deposits
Demand deposits		20,783,110		19,044,355
Time deposits		7,943,768		8,134,029
Deposits		28,726,878		27,178,384
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase		823,288		764,599
Other short-term borrowings	[6]	31,200		1,200
Notes payable:
FHLB advances		717,262		780,411
Unsecured senior debt securities		444,191		435,186
Junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures		379,349		352,673
Others		0		0
Notes payable		1,540,802		1,568,270
Derivatives		11,879		14,343
Contingent consideration		0		0
Fair value Off balance sheet
Commitments to extend credit		0		0
Letters of credit		0		0
Level 2 | Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Financial Assets:
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		0		0
Level 2 | Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Financial Assets:
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		0		0
Level 2 | Other
Financial Assets:
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		1,744		1,740
Level 3
Financial Assets:
Cash And Cash Equivalents Fair Value Disclosure		0		0
Money Market Investments Fair Value		0		0
Trading account securities, excluding derivatives	[5]	7,403		8,972
Available For Sale Securities	[5]	1,398		1,434
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		79,725		81,149
Other investment securities
FHLB Stock		0		0
FRB stock		0		0
Trust preferred securities		0		0
Other investments		4,929		4,966
Total other investment securities		4,929		4,966
Loans held-for-sale		124,526		138,031
F D I C Indemnification Asset Fair Value Portion		228,561		313,224
Mortgage servicing rights		203,577		211,405
Derivatives		0		0
Deposits
Demand deposits		0		0
Time deposits		0		0
Deposits		0		0
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase		0		0
Other short-term borrowings	[6]	0		0
Notes payable:
FHLB advances		0		0
Unsecured senior debt securities		0		0
Junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures		0		0
Others		18,550		19,008
Notes payable		18,550		19,008
Derivatives		0		0
Contingent consideration		128,511		120,380
Fair value Off balance sheet
Commitments to extend credit		554		1,080
Letters of credit		611		572
Level 3 | Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Financial Assets:
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		79,419		80,815
Level 3 | Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Financial Assets:
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		85		91
Level 3 | Other
Financial Assets:
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		221		243
Non-covered loans | Level 1
Other investment securities
Loans Receivable, Fair Value Disclosure		0		0
Non-covered loans | Level 2
Other investment securities
Loans Receivable, Fair Value Disclosure		0		0
Non-covered loans | Level 3
Other investment securities
Loans Receivable, Fair Value Disclosure		20,405,987		20,849,150
Covered loans | Level 1
Other investment securities
Loans Receivable, Fair Value Disclosure		0		0
Covered loans | Level 2
Other investment securities
Loans Receivable, Fair Value Disclosure		0		0
Covered loans | Level 3
Other investment securities
Loans Receivable, Fair Value Disclosure		570,791		593,002
Carrying amount
Financial Assets:
Cash And Due From Banks		365,308		363,674
Money market investments		2,785,500		2,180,092
Trading account securities, excluding derivatives	[5]	72,530		71,659
Available For Sale Securities	[5]	7,242,676		6,062,992
Investment securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost		99,525		100,903
Other investment securities
FHLB Stock		59,459		59,387
FRB stock		93,983		97,740
Trust preferred securities fair value		13,198		13,198
Other investments		1,923		1,923
Total other investment securities		168,563		172,248
Loans held-for-sale		122,338		137,000
FDIC loss-share asset		214,029		310,221
Mortgage servicing rights		203,577		211,405
Derivatives		13,154		16,959
Deposits
Demand deposits		20,783,110		19,044,355
Time deposits		7,954,746		8,165,368
Total deposits		28,737,856		27,209,723
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase		821,604		762,145
Other short-term borrowings	[6]	31,200		1,200
Notes payable:
Advances with the FHLB		674,342		761,501
Senior Long Term Notes		443,747		442,704
Junior Subordinated Debenture Owed To Unconsolidated Subsidiary Trust		439,309		439,295
Others		18,550		19,008
Notes Payable		1,575,948		1,662,508
Derivatives		11,879		14,343
Contingent consideration		128,511		120,380
Carrying amount | Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Financial Assets:
Investment securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost		97,444		98,817
Carrying amount | Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Financial Assets:
Investment securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost		81		86
Carrying amount | Other
Financial Assets:
Investment securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost		2,000		2,000
Carrying amount | Non-covered loans
Other investment securities
Loans held in portfolio, net		22,022,522		21,843,180
Carrying amount | Covered loans
Other investment securities
Loans held in portfolio, net		576,589		611,939
Fair value
Financial Assets:
Cash And Cash Equivalents Fair Value Disclosure		365,308		363,674
Money Market Investments Fair Value		2,785,500		2,180,092
Trading account securities, excluding derivatives		72,530		71,659	[5]
Available For Sale Securities		7,242,676		6,062,992	[5]
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		81,469		82,889
Other investment securities
FHLB Stock		59,459		59,387
FRB stock		93,983		97,740
Trust preferred securities		13,198		13,198
Other investments		4,929		4,966
Total other investment securities		171,569		175,291
Loans held-for-sale		124,995		139,395
F D I C Indemnification Asset Fair Value Portion		228,561		313,224
Mortgage servicing rights		203,577		211,405
Derivatives		13,154		16,959
Deposits
Demand deposits		20,783,110		19,044,355
Time deposits		7,943,768		8,134,029
Deposits		28,726,878		27,178,384
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase		823,288		764,599
Other short-term borrowings		31,200		1,200	[6]
Notes payable:
FHLB advances		717,262		780,411
Unsecured senior debt securities		444,191		435,186
Junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures		379,349		352,673
Others		18,550		19,008
Notes payable		1,559,352		1,587,278
Derivatives		11,879		14,343
Contingent consideration		128,511		120,380
Fair value Off balance sheet
Commitments to extend credit		554		1,080
Letters of credit		611		572
Fair value | Obligations of Puerto Rico, States and political subdivisions
Financial Assets:
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		79,419		80,815
Fair value | Collateralized Mortgage Obligations - Federal agencies
Financial Assets:
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		85		91
Fair value | Other
Financial Assets:
Held To Maturity Securities Fair Value		1,965		1,983
Fair value | Non-covered loans
Other investment securities
Loans Receivable, Fair Value Disclosure		20,405,987		20,849,150
Fair value | Covered loans
Other investment securities
Loans Receivable, Fair Value Disclosure		570,791		593,002
Notional amount
Fair value Off balance sheet
Commitments to extend credit		7,322,699		7,434,108
Letters of credit		$ 36,530		$ 51,710

[1] Includes $3.6 billion pledged to secure public and trust deposits, assets sold under agreements to repurchase, credit facilities and loan servicing agreements that the secured parties are not permitted to sell or repledge the collateral, of which $2.9 billion serve as collateral for public funds.

[2] Includes $2.4 billion pledged to secure public and trust deposits, assets sold under agreements to repurchase, credit facilities and loan servicing agreements that the secured parties are not permitted to sell or repledge the collateral, of which $1.5 billion serve as collateral for public funds.

[3] Includes $97.8 million pledged to secure public and trust deposits that the secured parties are not permitted to sell or repledge the collateral.

[4] Includes $57.2 million pledged to secure public and trust deposits that the secured parties are not permitted to sell or repledge the collateral.

[5] Refer to Note 26 to the consolidated financial statements for the fair value by class of financial asset and its hierarchy level.

[6] Refer to Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements for the composition of other short-term borrowings.