EXHIBIT 99.1
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              STATEMENT UNDER OATH OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER
      REGARDING FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES RELATING TO EXCHANGE ACT FILINGS


I, Richard L. Carrion, state and attest that:


(1)  To the best of my knowledge, based upon a review of the covered reports of
     Popular, Inc., and, except as corrected or supplemented in a subsequent
     covered report:

     -  no covered report contained an untrue statement of a material fact
        as of the end of the period covered by such report (or in the case of a
        report on Form 8-K or definitive proxy materials, as of the date
        on which it was filed); and

     -  no covered report omitted to state a material fact necessary to make
        the statements in the covered report, in light of the circumstances
        under which they were made, not misleading as of the end of the period
        covered by such report (or in the case of a report on Form 8-K or
        definitive proxy materials, as of the date on which it was filed).

(2)  I have reviewed the contents of this statement with the Company's audit
     committee.

(3)  In this statement under oath, each of the following, if filed on or before
     the date of this statement, is a "covered report":

     -  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2001,
        filed with the Commission on March 21, 2002, of Popular, Inc.;

     -  all reports on Form 10-Q, all reports on Form 8-K and all definitive
        proxy materials of Popular, Inc. filed with the Commission subsequent
        to the filing of the Form 10-K identified above; and

     -  any amendments to any of the foregoing.



/s/ Richard L. Carrion
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Richard L. Carrion
Chief Executive Officer
August 14, 2002



                              Affidavit No. 2889

                              Subscribed and sworn to before me this 14th day of
                              August, 2002.


                              /s/ Brunilda Santos de Alvarez, Esq.
                              --------------------------------------------------
                              Notary Public
                              My Commission Expires: My Commission is for life.