Dividend Declaration

Banco Santander Central Hispano SA
14 January 2003


                                    MAJOR EVENTS


Banco Santander Central Hispano, S.A. announces that as of 1st February next, it
will pay a third interim dividend on account of the earnings for the 2002
financial year, amounting to 0.075126 euros per share, which is the same as that
paid in January last year as the third interim dividend for the 2001 financial
year.


Madrid, 14 January, 2003


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