Guarantee Agreement, dated as of August 24, 2009



 Exhibit 4.4 
 EXECUTION VERSION 
  
  
  
 GUARANTEE AGREEMENT 
 by and between 
 POPULAR, INC., 

 as Guarantor 
 and

 THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, 
 as Guarantee Trustee 
 relating to 
 POPULAR CAPITAL TRUST III 
  
  
 Dated as of August 24,
2009 
  
  
  
  
  







 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
  

					
	 	  	 	  	PAGE
	ARTICLE I
	
	DEFINITIONS
			
	Section 1.1	  	Definitions	  	1
	
	ARTICLE II
	
	TRUST INDENTURE ACT
			
	Section 2.1	  	Trust Indenture Act; Application	  	4
	Section 2.2	  	List of Holders	  	4
	Section 2.3	  	Reports by the Guarantee Trustee	  	5
	Section 2.4	  	Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee	  	5
	Section 2.5	  	Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent	  	5
	Section 2.6	  	Events of Default; Waiver	  	5
	Section 2.7	  	Event of Default; Notice	  	5
	Section 2.8	  	Conflicting Interests	  	6
	
	ARTICLE III
	
	POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE GUARANTEE
TRUSTEE
			
	Section 3.1	  	Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee	  	6
	Section 3.2	  	Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee	  	7
	Section 3.3	  	Compensation; Indemnity; Fees	  	8
	
	ARTICLE IV
	
	GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
			
	Section 4.1	  	Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility	  	9
	Section 4.2	  	Appointment, Removal and Resignation of the Guarantee Trustee	  	9
	
	ARTICLE V
	
	GUARANTEE
			
	Section 5.1	  	Guarantee	  	10
	Section 5.2	  	Waiver of Notice and Demand	  	10
	Section 5.3	  	Obligations Not Affected	  	10
	Section 5.4	  	Rights of Holders	  	11
	Section 5.5	  	Guarantee of Payment	  	11
	Section 5.6	  	Subrogation	  	12
	Section 5.7	  	Independent Obligations	  	12

  

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	ARTICLE VI
	
	COVENANTS AND SUBORDINATION
			
	Section 6.1	  	Subordination	  	12
	Section 6.2	  	Pari Passu Guarantees	  	12
	
	ARTICLE VII
	
	TERMINATION
			
	Section 7.1	  	Termination	  	12
	
	ARTICLE VIII
	
	MISCELLANEOUS
			
	Section 8.1	  	Successors and Assigns	  	13
	Section 8.2	  	Amendments	  	13
	Section 8.3	  	Notices	  	13
	Section 8.4	  	Benefit	  	14
	Section 8.5	  	Governing Law	  	14
	Section 8.6	  	Counterparts	  	14
	Section 8.7	  	Incorporation by Reference	  	14

  

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 GUARANTEE AGREEMENT, dated as of August 24,
2009, between POPULAR, INC., a Commonwealth of Puerto Rico corporation (the “Guarantor”), having its principal office at 209 Muñoz Rivera Avenue, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918, and
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as trustee (the “Guarantee Trustee”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein)
from time to time of the Capital Securities (as defined herein) of POPULAR CAPITAL TRUST III, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Issuer Trust”). 
 RECITALS 
 WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement, of even date herewith (the “Trust Agreement”), among Popular, Inc., as Depositor, the Property
Trustee, the Delaware Trustee, and the Administrative Trustees (each as named therein) and the holders from time to time of undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer Trust, the Issuer Trust is issuing $935,000,000.00 aggregate
Liquidation Amount (as defined in the Trust Agreement) of its Fixed Rate Trust Preferred Securities (liquidation amount $1,000 per capital security) (the “Capital Securities”), representing preferred undivided beneficial interests
in the assets of the Issuer Trust and having the terms set forth in the Trust Agreement; and 
 WHEREAS,
the Capital Securities will be issued by the Issuer Trust, and the proceeds thereof, together with the proceeds from the issuance of the Issuer Trust’s Common Securities (as defined herein), will be used to purchase the Debentures of the
Guarantor, which Debentures will be deposited with The Bank of New York Mellon, as Property Trustee under the Trust Agreement, as trust assets; and 
 WHEREAS, as an incentive for the Holders to purchase Capital Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth herein, to pay to the Holders of the
Capital Securities the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein. 
 NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase of Capital Securities by each Holder, which purchase the Guarantor hereby acknowledges shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes
and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders from time to time. 
 ARTICLE I 
 DEFINITIONS 
 Section 1.1 Definitions 
 For all purposes of this Guarantee Agreement, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless
the context otherwise requires: 
 (a) The terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the
plural as well as the singular; 
 (b) All other terms used herein that are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by
reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein; 
 (c) The words “include,” “includes” and
“including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”; 
  

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 (d) All accounting terms used but not defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance
with United States generally accepted accounting principles; 
 (e) Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an
“Article” or a “Section” refers to an Article or a Section, as the case may be, of this Guarantee Agreement; and 
 (f)
The words “hereby,” “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Guarantee Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision.

 “Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under
direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any specified Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or
indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing. 
 “Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of the board of directors of the Guarantor,
comprised of one or more members of the board of directors of the Guarantor or officers of the Guarantor, or both. 
 “Capital
Securities” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Guarantee Agreement. 
 “Common Securities” means the
securities representing common undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer Trust. 
 “Debentures” shall have
the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement. 
 “Distributions” shall have the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.

 “Event of Default” means (i) a default by the Guarantor in any of its payment obligations under this Guarantee
Agreement or (ii) a default by the Guarantor in any other obligation hereunder that remains unremedied for 30 days. 
 “Guarantee Agreement” means this Guarantee Agreement, as modified, amended or supplemented from time to time. 
 “Guarantee Payments” means the following payments or distributions, without duplication, with respect to the Capital Securities, to the extent not paid or made by or on behalf of the Issuer Trust: (i) any accumulated
and unpaid Distributions required to be paid on the Capital Securities, to the extent the Issuer Trust shall have funds on hand available therefor at such time; (ii) the Redemption Price with respect to any Capital Securities called for
redemption by the Issuer Trust, to the extent the Issuer Trust shall have funds on hand available therefor at such time; and (iii) upon a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or liquidation of the Issuer Trust, unless Debentures are
distributed to the Holders, the lesser of (a) the Liquidation Distribution with respect to the Capital Securities, to the extent that the Issuer Trust shall have funds on hand available therefor at such time, and (b) the amount of assets
of the Issuer Trust remaining available for distribution to Holders on liquidation of the Issuer. 
 “Guarantee Trustee”
means The Bank of New York Mellon, solely in its capacity as Guarantee Trustee and not in its individual capacity, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee
Agreement, and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee. 
  

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 “Guarantor” has the meaning specified in the first paragraph of this Guarantee
Agreement. 
 “Holder” means any Holder (as defined in the Trust Agreement) of any Capital Securities; provided,
however, that in determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Capital Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, “Holder” shall not include the Guarantor, the Guarantee Trustee, or any
Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Guarantee Trustee. 
 “Indenture” means the Junior Subordinated Indenture, dated as of
August 24, 2009, between Popular, Inc. and The Bank of New York Mellon, N.A., as trustee, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of August 24, 2009, between Popular, Inc. and The Bank of New York Mellon, as the same
may be modified, amended or supplemented from time to time. 
 “Issuer Trust” has the meaning specified in the first
paragraph of this Guarantee Agreement. 
 “Liquidation Distribution” shall have the meaning specified in the Trust
Agreement. 
 “List of Holders” has the meaning specified in Section 2.2(a). 
 “Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities” means, except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, Capital Securities
representing more than 50% of the aggregate Liquidation Amount (as defined in the Trust Agreement) of all Capital Securities then Outstanding (as defined in the Trust Agreement). 
 “Officers’ Certificate” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by the Chairman or a Vice Chairman of the Board of
Directors of such Person or the President or a Vice President of such Person, and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of such Person. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance
with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee Agreement shall include: 
 (a) a statement by each officer signing the
Officers’ Certificate that such officer has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto; 
 (b) a brief
statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate; 
 (c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been
complied with; and 
 (d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

 “Person” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association,
joint stock company, company, limited liability company, trust, business trust, unincorporated association, or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature. 
 “Redemption Price” shall have the meaning set forth in the Trust Agreement. 
  

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 “Responsible Officer” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any Senior Vice
President, any Vice President, any Assistant Vice President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, any Trust Officer or Assistant Trust Officer or any other officer of the Corporate Trust Department of the
Guarantee Trustee and also means, with respect to a particular matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of that officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject. 
 “Successor Guarantee Trustee” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under
Section 4.1. 
 “Trust Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement of the Issuer
Trust referred to in the recitals to this Guarantee Agreement, as modified, amended or supplemented from time to time. 
 “Trust
Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date as of which this Guarantee Agreement was executed; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date,
“Trust Indenture Act” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended. 
 “Vice President,” when used with respect to the Guarantor, means any duly appointed vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “vice president.”

 ARTICLE II 
 TRUST INDENTURE ACT 
 Section 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application.

 (a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee
Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions. 
 (b) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, if and
to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control. 
 (c) The application of the Trust Indenture Act to this Guarantee Agreement shall not affect the nature of the Capital Securities as equity securities
representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer Trust. 
 Section 2.2 List of Holders. 
 (a) The Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee (a) semiannually, on or before January 31 and July 31 of
each year, a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (a “List of Holders”) as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the delivery thereof, and (b) at
such other times as the Guarantee Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of any such request, a List of Holders as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished, in each
case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it
on receipt of a new List of Holders. 
  

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 (b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with the requirements of Section 311(a), Section 311(b)
and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act. 
 Section 2.3 Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. 
 Not later than February 28 of each year, commencing in 2010, the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by
Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. If this Guarantee Agreement shall have been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee
shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act. 
 Section 2.4 Periodic Reports to the
Guarantee Trustee. 
 The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders such documents, reports and information, if
any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture
Act, provided that such documents, reports and information shall be required to be provided to the Securities and Exchange Commission only if this Guarantee Agreement shall have been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. 
 Section 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. 
 The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in
Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer of the Guarantor pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate. 
 Section 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver. 
 The Holders of at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the Holders of all the Capital Securities, waive any past default or Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any
such default or Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any default or Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or
other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. 
 Section 2.7 Event of Default; Notice. 
 (a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class
postage prepaid, to the Holders, notice of any such Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, unless such Event of Default has been cured before the giving of such notice, provided that, except in the case of a default in the payment
of a Guarantee Payment, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in
good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders. 
  

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 (b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the
Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice, or a Responsible Officer charged with the administration of this Guarantee Agreement shall have obtained written notice, of such Event of Default. 
 Section 2.8 Conflicting Interests. 
 The Trust Agreement and the Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act. 

ARTICLE III 
 POWERS,
DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE 
 Section 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee. 
 (a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee
Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as
Guarantee Trustee hereunder. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee, as such, hereunder shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder,
and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee. 
 (b) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

 (c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing of all Events of Default that may have
occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement (including pursuant to Section 2.1), and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee
Trustee. If an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.6), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of
care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs. 
 (d) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that: 
 (i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have occurred:

 (A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this
Guarantee Agreement (including pursuant to Section 2.1), and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement (including pursuant to
Section 2.1); and 
  

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 (B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee
Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee
Agreement (but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof or of the Trust Indenture Act are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the
same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement); 
 (ii) the Guarantee Trustee
shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was
made; 
 (iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good
faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee,
or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and 
 (iv) subject to
Section 3.1(b), no provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of
its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such
risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. 
 Section 3.2 Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee. 
 (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1: 
 (i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order,
bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties. 
 (ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’
Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein. 
 (iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the
Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting to take any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence
of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request from the Guarantee Trustee, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor. 
 (iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with legal counsel, and the written advice or opinion of such legal counsel with respect to legal
matters shall be full and complete 

  

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authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice
or opinion. Such legal counsel may be legal counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may be one of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this
Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction. 
 (v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such adequate security and indemnity as would satisfy a
reasonable person in the position of the Guarantee Trustee against the costs, expenses (including attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable
advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that nothing contained in this Section 3.2(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise
the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement. 
 (vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but
the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit. 
 (vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through its agents or attorneys, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be
responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent or attorney appointed by it with due care hereunder. 
 (viii) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee
Trustee (A) may request instructions from the Holders, (B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and (C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such
instructions. 
 (b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the
Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in
accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with
such power and authority. 
 Section 3.3 Compensation; Indemnity; Fees. 
 The Guarantor agrees: 
 (a) to
pay to the Guarantee Trustee from time to time such reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder as may be agreed by the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee from time to time (which compensation shall not be limited by any
provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust); 
  

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 (b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Guarantee Trustee
upon request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Guarantee Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Guarantee Agreement (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of
its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its negligence or bad faith; and 
 (c) to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee, any Affiliate of the Guarantee Trustee and any officer, director, shareholder, employee, representative or agent of the Guarantee Trustee (each, an “Indemnified Person”) for, and to hold
each Indemnified Person harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Indemnified Person, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee
Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder. 
 The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any Guarantee Payments as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee
Agreement. 
 The provisions of this Section 3.3 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal
of the Guarantee Trustee. 
 ARTICLE IV 
 GUARANTEE TRUSTEE 
 Section 4.1 Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility. 
 (a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall: 
 (i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and 
 (ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital and surplus of at least
$50,000,000, and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or
examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.1 and to the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in
its most recent report of condition so published. 
 (b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under
Section 4.1(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.2. 
 (c) If
the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of
Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act. 
 Section 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of the Guarantee Trustee. 

 (a) Subject to Section 4.2(c), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed at any time (i) by the Guarantor with or without
cause at any time when an Event of Default has not occurred 

  

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and is continuing, or (ii) by the action of the Holders of a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities delivered to the Guarantee Trustee
and the Guarantor (x) for cause or (y) if a Debenture Event of Default (as defined in the Trust Agreement) shall have occurred and be continuing at any time. 
 (b) Subject to Section 4.2(c), the Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by giving written notice thereof to the Holders and the Guarantor. 
 (c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed hereunder shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and shall have accepted
such appointment. No removal or resignation of a Guarantee Trustee shall be effective until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and
delivered to the Guarantor and, in the case of any resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee. 
 (d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee
shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within 60 days after delivery to the Holders and the Guarantor of a notice of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition, at the expense of
the Guarantor, any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee. 
 ARTICLE V 
 GUARANTEE

 Section 5.1 Guarantee. 
 The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by or on behalf of the Issuer Trust), as and when due, regardless of any defense,
right of set-off or counterclaim that the Issuer Trust may have or assert, except the defense of payment. The Guarantor’s obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the
Holders or by causing the Issuer Trust to pay such amounts to the Holders. 
 Section 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand.

 The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply,
presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer Trust or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of
redemption and all other notices and demands. 
 Section 5.3 Obligations Not Affected. 
 The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the
happening from time to time of any of the following: 
 (a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the
performance or observance by the Issuer Trust of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Capital Securities to be performed or observed by the Issuer Trust; 
  

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 (b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer Trust of any portion of the
Distributions (other than an extension of time for payment of Distributions that results from the extension of any interest payment period on the Debentures as provided in the Indenture), Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or any other sums
payable under the terms of the Capital Securities or the extension of time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out of, or in connection with, the Capital Securities; 
 (c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege,
power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Capital Securities, or any action on the part of the Issuer Trust granting indulgence or extension of any kind; 
 (d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors,
reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer Trust or any of the assets of the Issuer Trust; 
 (e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Capital Securities; 
 (f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby or hereby incurred; or 
 (g) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor (other than
payment of the underlying obligation), it being the intent of this Section 5.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances. 
 There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing. 
 Section 5.4 Rights of Holders. 
 The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (i) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (ii) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to
enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (iii) the Holders of a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available
to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (iv) any Holder may institute a legal proceeding directly against the
Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer Trust or any other Person. 
 Section 5.5 Guarantee of Payment. 
 This Guarantee Agreement creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment of the Guarantee Payments in full (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the
Issuer Trust) or upon the distribution of Debentures to Holders as provided in the Trust Agreement. 
  

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 Section 5.6 Subrogation. 
 The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights (if any) of the Holders against the Issuer Trust in respect of any amounts paid to the Holders by the
Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any rights which it may acquire by way of
subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount
shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders. 
 Section 5.7 Independent Obligations. 
 The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer Trust with respect to the Capital Securities and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make
Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (g), inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof. 
 ARTICLE VI 
 COVENANTS
AND SUBORDINATION 
 Section 6.1 Subordination. 
 The obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement will constitute unsecured obligations of the Guarantor and will rank subordinate and
junior in right of payment to all Senior Debt (as defined in the Indenture) of the Guarantor to the extent and in the manner set forth in the Indenture with respect to the Debentures, and the provisions of Article Eighteen of the Indenture will
apply, mutatis mutandis, to the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder. The obligations of the Guarantor hereunder do not constitute Senior Debt (as defined in the Indenture) of the Guarantor. 
 Section 6.2 Pari Passu Guarantees. 
 The obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with the obligations of the Guarantor under (i) any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of the holders of preferred
or capital securities issued by any statutory trust, (ii) the Indenture and the Debt Securities (as defined therein) issued thereunder; (iii) any expense agreements entered into by the Guarantor in connection with the offering of preferred
or capital securities by any statutory trust, and (iv) any other security, guarantee or other agreement or obligation that is expressly stated to rank pari passu with the obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement or with any
obligation that ranks pari passu with the obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement. 
 ARTICLE VII 
 TERMINATION 
 Section 7.1 Termination. 
 This Guarantee Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon
(i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Capital Securities, (ii) the distribution of Debentures to the 

  

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Holders in exchange for all of the Capital Securities or (iii) full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with Article IX of the Trust
Agreement upon liquidation of the Issuer Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder is required to repay any sums paid with
respect to Capital Securities or this Guarantee Agreement. 
 ARTICLE VIII 
 MISCELLANEOUS 
 Section 8.1 Successors and Assigns.

 All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and
representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Capital Securities then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article Eight of the
Indenture and pursuant to which the successor or assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder, and any purported assignment other than in accordance with
this provision shall be void. 
 Section 8.2 Amendments. 
 Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of the Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of the Holders
will be required), this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities. The provisions of Article VI of the Trust Agreement concerning
meetings of the Holders shall apply to the giving of such approval. 
 Section 8.3 Notices. 
 Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice,
and delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail as follows: 
 (a) if given to the Guarantor, to the address or telecopy number set
forth below or such other address or telecopy number as the Guarantor may give notice to the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders: 
 Popular,
Inc. 
 209 Muñoz Rivera Avenue 
 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918 
 Attention: Treasurer 
 Telecopy: (787) 765-9800 
 (b) if given to the Guarantee Trustee, to the address or telecopy number set
forth below or such other address or telecopy number as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice to the Guarantor and Holders: 
 The Bank of
New York Mellon 
 101 Barclay Street, FL. 4-E, 
 New York, New York 10286 
 Attention: Corporate Trust Administration 
 Telecopy: — 
  

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 with a copy to: 
 Popular Capital Trust III 
 c/o Popular, Inc. 
 209 Muñoz Rivera Avenue 
 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918 
 Attention: Administrative Trustees of Popular Capital Trust III 
 Telecopy: (787) 765-9800 
 (c) if given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and
records of the Issuer Trust. 
 All notices hereunder shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt
confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed
to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver. 
 Section 8.4 Benefit. 
 This Guarantee Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Capital Securities. 
 Section 8.5 Governing Law. 
 THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 
 Section 8.6 Counterparts. 
 This
instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. 
 Section 8.7 Incorporation by Reference. 
 In connection with its appointment and acting hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to all rights, privileges, protections, benefits, immunities and indemnities provided to it as Property Trustee under the Trust Agreement.

  

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 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Guarantee Agreement as of the day and
year first above written. 
  

			
	POPULAR, INC.,
	as Guarantor
		
	By:	 	 /s/ Jorge A. Junquera

	Name:	 	Jorge A. Junquera
	Title:	 	 Senior Executive Vice President
 & Chief Financial
Officer

	
	THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
	as Guarantee Trustee
		
	By:	 	 /s/ Catherine F. Donohue

		 	Authorized Signature