content: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ownership" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">
    <headerData>
      <submissionType>144</submissionType>
      <filerInfo>
        <filer>
          <filerCredentials>
            <cik>0001464458</cik>
            <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
          </filerCredentials>
        </filer>
        <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
  
  
      </filerInfo>
    </headerData>
    <formData>
      <issuerInfo>
        <issuerCik>0001057706</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FIRST BANCORP /PR/</issuerName>
        <secFileNumber>001-14793</secFileNumber>
        <issuerAddress>
          <com:street1>1519 PONCE DE LEON AVE</com:street1>
          <com:street2>SANTURCE</com:street2>
          <com:city>SAN JUAN</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>PR</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>00908-0146</com:zipCode>
        </issuerAddress>
        <issuerContactPhone>7877298200</issuerContactPhone>
        <nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>Berges Gonzalez Orlando</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
        <relationshipsToIssuer>
          <relationshipToIssuer>Officer</relationshipToIssuer>
        </relationshipsToIssuer>
      </issuerInfo>
      <securitiesInformation>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
          <name>POPULAR SECURITIES</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>208 Ponce de Leon Ave., 12th Floor</com:street1>
            <com:street2>Popular Center Bldg.</com:street2>
            <com:city>San Juan</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>PR</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>00908</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
        <noOfUnitsSold>92109</noOfUnitsSold>
        <aggregateMarketValue>1558484.00</aggregateMarketValue>
        <noOfUnitsOutstanding>169303000</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
        <approxSaleDate>03/11/2024</approxSaleDate>
        <securitiesExchangeName>NYSE</securitiesExchangeName>
      </securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>03/18/2022</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Stock Award</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>First Bank</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>11952</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>03/18/2022</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>03/21/2022</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Stock Award</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>First Bank</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>14774</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>03/21/2022</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>03/18/2023</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Stock Award</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>First Bank</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>35781</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>03/18/2023</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>05/10/2017</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Stock Award</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>First Bank</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>25517</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>05/10/2017</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>03/31/2023</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Stock Award</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>First Bank</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>4085</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>03/31/2023</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <noticeSignature>
        <noticeDate>03/11/2024</noticeDate>
        <signature>/s/ Carmen Zamores as a duly authorized representative of Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, as attorney-in-fact for Berges Gonzalez Orlando</signature>
      </noticeSignature>
    </formData>
  </edgarSubmission>
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text: 144
  0001464458
  XXXXXXXX
  LIVE
  0001057706
  FIRST BANCORP /PR/
  001-14793
  1519 PONCE DE LEON AVE
  SANTURCE
  SAN JUAN
  PR
  00908-0146
  7877298200
  Berges Gonzalez Orlando
  Officer
  Common
  POPULAR SECURITIES
  208 Ponce de Leon Ave., 12th Floor
  Popular Center Bldg.
  San Juan
  PR
  00908
  92109
  1558484.00
  169303000
  03/11/2024
  NYSE
  Common
  03/18/2022
  Stock Award
  First Bank
  N
  11952
  03/18/2022
  Compensation
  Common
  03/21/2022
  Stock Award
  First Bank
  N
  14774
  03/21/2022
  Compensation
  Common
  03/18/2023
  Stock Award
  First Bank
  N
  35781
  03/18/2023
  Compensation
  Common
  05/10/2017
  Stock Award
  First Bank
  N
  25517
  05/10/2017
  Compensation
  Common
  03/31/2023
  Stock Award
  First Bank
  N
  4085
  03/31/2023
  Compensation
  Y
  03/11/2024
  /s/ Carmen Zamores as a duly authorized representative of Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, as attorney-in-fact for Berges Gonzalez Orlando